Happiness is where you are

Published 4 years ago -


Kate Sehring, Staff Writer

With a heart that yearns to be free and adventurous, school can sometimes feel like a burden. I have always been interested in a travel lifestyle where I could be exposed to the many cultures of the world and meet an array of unique people along the way. My itch to see more of the world did not become so strong and persistent until I studied abroad in Australia.

Before going abroad, I had everything planned out. I would go to Australia for my second semester junior year, have the time of my life and then come back for senior year of college and continue the “high life” that I would be on. And who doesn’t rave about senior year? Well, I’m here to say that adjusting back into a routine and predictable schedule was harder for me than I thought it would be. To compare my beachy and carefree time in Australia to my college experience in New England would be unreasonable, but something that I can’t help is my desire to travel. I want to be a part of the Peace Corps in Africa where I will serve and create positive relationships with the people I meet while appreciating and celebrating our unique cultural backgrounds. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time now.

There is a constant pull within me between what I want to do and what is expected of me. A year from now I will be in graduate school getting my master’s degree in occupational therapy. I love the field of occupational therapy. Knowing that I will be able to make a difference in people’s lives for my whole career is extremely gratifying to me.

However, as someone who is going on to begin their masters in the fall, I have a pretty negative relationship with school. I tend to look at school as something that is holding me back from life. I know that this mindset can set me up for failure and this is why I religiously remind myself that I need to put in the work in order to get to where I want to go. Maybe some people feel the same way that I do and I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone in that feeling. I know

that having a satisfying career that will support myself and my family one day will make it all worth it.

As second semester of senior year rolls around, I realize that being content where I am in this very moment of my life is essential to my happiness. I don’t want to live my life always looking forward to the next trip or the next adventure. I read a quote recently that said; “Beware of destination addiction: the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job or even with the next partner. Until you give up on the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.”

There is so much joy and love in all of our lives if we just take a deeper look and begin to appreciate the little moments. Senior year is full of exciting and memorable moments. I know that a year from now when I am in graduate school, I will be wishing that I had this time back with my friends that I’ve created such a special bond with over these 4 years of college.

Maybe you are stressed about knowing what your next destination after college will be or maybe you know your next destination but are unsure if it is what you want. Take this time right now to be happy about how far you’ve made it and to remember how much time you have to accomplish everything you want in life. We all have desires, but we cannot always fulfill those desires right away. It may take years of hard work and patience to get to where we want to be, and that is okay. And don’t forget to enjoy all of the little moments on the way there. Senior year won’t ever happen again, so I’m telling you as much as I am telling myself to slow down, work hard, have fun, create new relationships, strengthen your current relationships and let life play out.

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