As September rolls around, it is hard to avoid the feeling of newness—a new month, a new season, a new school year for some. The days get shorter and the trees begin to brown. It is a time to turn a new leaf (literally and figuratively). But, I have recently found it somewhat challenging trying to accommodate for this state of newness, and I would like to believe that others struggle with it too.
I am a college student transferring to a new school this fall, away from my friends, family and boyfriend. I graduated with an associate’s degree in English from my community college, but it was hardly easy. I come to my new school with three years of fumbling around, waiting tables, interning in a big city and developing and coping with a mood disorder—all of which have become how I define myself. Yet that leaves me wondering: who am I without these things and how will the person that I’ve worked so hard to become fit into my new life? And until recently, I haven’t really been able to find an answer. So, when people asked me if I was excited to be moving and starting a new school, I could hardly find the energy to pretend that I didn’t completely detest the idea.
Moving forward, I hoped that I would at least be able to accept that the move was inevitable and would likely be a positive experience. Although I still find myself getting sucked in by negative thinking, I have been able to cope by simply attempting to logically understand my feelings. When we reflect on the human experience and what it means, it is obvious that we are constantly becoming. We are always learning and growing and becoming something new. Which is absolutely terrifying to think about, but in some ways, it is also comforting. It does not mean that I have to let go of the person I have become, I just have to remember not to settle. The people who we are right this very second are not the people we will be tomorrow. So instead of attaching ourselves to summer or short sleeves or the person we have been, we should take our experiences and embrace the fall and changing leaves and our new lives.
Whether your September will be spent at a new school, an old school or at the school of life, I hope that you will embrace all the newness it has to offer. Make a step toward accepting that nothing in life is permanent. The more we learn and experience, the more we change—and rarely is that a bad thing. And even when we are quite fond of who we are, there is no telling how much we will love who we become. So here is to the people we are today and to the people we will be tomorrow; may they never be the same.
Author: Taylor Dickson
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: How difficult it is to reduce an entire life down to one measly summary! To put it simply, I am a student with a goal of achieving things that surprise even myself (who doesn’t like a good surprise, after all?). I have a passion for literature and beauty products and knowledge, all of which intersect at content creation. I am a creator by nature-drawn to blogging, make up artistry, journaling and photography. However, it is ultimately educating that has my heart. For now, I am enjoying exploring the publishing industry, but I am looking forward to a life-long career as a college English literature professor.
Link to social media or website: Instagram @taylorrthegreat
