COLUMN: Columnist reflects on past year

At the beginning of the school year, I wrote a column titled “Road to change difficult but worthwhile.” For those of you who may have missed it, the subject matter regarded my journey to find myself. Since this is my last column of the school year, I have decided to revisit this column and provide an update.

When we last left off, I had finally developed confidence and self-esteem after many, many years of stewing in self-hatred. I had set goals for myself regarding school and made several plans for the future. But as all grand plans are wont to do, nothing had turned out as expected.

My grades have improved, but I would not say I’ve lived up to my academic potential. I have accepted that this will probably never happen, if only because I have one semester left at USD. However, I have learned a great deal more about life, myself and relationships than I anticipated.

I’ve learned that the ability to balance one’s priorities is very important. This semester I have done an impeccably poor job of balancing school and my personal life, something I intend to improve upon in the future.

I’ve learned that when one finds themselves falling behind in school, communication with the professor is very important. If there is one piece of advice I want to pass on to younger students, it’s this: Never, ever be afraid to talk to a professor if you are having trouble keeping up with your work. While some may be less understanding than others, most of them are going to be willing to help you.

I’ve learned the importance of patience. If there is one word that has never been used to describe me, it’s “patient.” I am typically very impulsive and short-tempered and if I don’t get something I want , I immediately become frustrated. However, timing is everything and sometimes you have no choice but to wait.

I have learned not to let other people’s opinions on my life choices influence me. Some people are just not qualified to dispense advice, especially if they are only willing to look at the surface of a situation. Furthermore, I’ve learned to ignore people who would rather wait for their turn to speak instead of actually listening to what I have to say about my own life.

I’ve learned the value of friendship. In a world full of technological roadblocks to communication and increasingly casual interactions, it is very difficult to find someone you can actually connect with. Should you be lucky to find a friend like that, it is essential to stand by them at their worst.

Most importantly, I’ve learned it is necessary to be able to make yourself happy at all times. For me, it’s as simple as looking nice every day, listening to good music and spending at least three solid hours of my day on the Internet. If you are able to maintain your own identity at all times, you can get through anything.

I urge everyone to take whatever lessons they can from their own experiences. If something doesn’t work out the way you want, take the lesson instead of feeling bad about it. I promise it will make life a lot easier if you do.

Reach columnist Betsey Horton at [email protected].