Chapter 43

Chapter 43

21 years OLD

June 2015

If you google, "what happened on June 18, 1994" nothing much will come up. A world record was broken in the 100m freestyle, and a famous man died, but you wouldn't recognize his name, he was a "rose grower." My birthdate isn't a special day in the world’s eyes, but as I write this post, now as one year older, 21, I feel special to be alive and have the opportunity to live one more day.

21 isn't any different when u wake up, unless of course you have a rough night. I can now buy alcohol, gamble, and I'm a legal adult. I am free to make my own decisions, but now, yes now, I'll pay the full price.

As I approach my senior year of college, what some would classify as the last year of freedom, I begin to reflect. I reflect every morning as my 7am alarm sounds that sends me to my internship. I reflect on the summer days where I would wake up around 10:30, turn on the TV, maybe watch Fairly Odd Parents or Jimmy Neutron, throw some bagel bites in the microwave, and call my neighborhood friends on our HOUSE phone. Yes a HOUSE phone, which I haven't used in years. We'd ride bikes together, play basketball all day, build stuff, swim, fish, shoot each other with air-soft guns, get in trouble with our parents for playing too late, and all in all, we had few worries- we had it made.

I love reflecting on the past because it shows you where you've been and how you got where you are. Currently, I'm working an internship as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at a small consumer product investment company. My job consists of working with a number of their different companies. It's my goal to increase sales and awareness of the products, my bosses have even encouraged me to find a new product to launch! In the 4 weeks that I've worked at my internship, I have enjoyed every minute. The experience has taught me so much about the business field and has encouraged me to think differently. In 3 years, I'll look back on this internship and smile, just as I smile about my childhood because there is a reason for me being where I am today. However, I'm not entirely sure what the pain of an air soft gun has to do with where I am today.

Three short years ago I was in the shoes of a graduated high school student. I was advising myself and you to relax. To take it all in, read a book, and to chill out because the "real world" was coming. Little did I know, that was great advice, except for the fact that the "real world" hadn't started. College is awesome. School, friends, events, games, I could go on and on. College is ONE of the best times of your life, but it's not the BEST time of your life. As I write, 10 months from college graduation, I have little idea of what's next in my life. However, I know it'll be incredible. Just think, if you acted like a young, energized college freshman every day, your life would be filled with joy.

Brad Paisleys song, letter to me, is one of my favorites. It's about a man reflecting on his own life, and if he could've written a letter to himself in the future what he would've said. At the end of the song Brad sings, “I guess I'll see you in the mirror, when you're a grown man, P.S go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can." I've listened to that song since I was 16, and it's still so true. Life sucks sometimes, but you've got to keep pushing and seeing the positive in the negatives.

Remember this: you turn 21 once, but make good decisions, and if you don't, clean them up.