I have been slowly – very slowly – packing my valuables and my belongings that would definitely qualify me for an appearance on the show “Hoarders.” But, as I have been packing there is one thought that keeps coming to mind that I used to be scared of – change.
When I was little I used to fear anything in my life changing because I was scared of what it might change into. As a college student, however, change is all I have known.
Since the first day I walked onto campus my life has been constantly changing. In lacrosse, I started as a freshman who was seen as nothing but inferior to my upperclassmen, and now I am captain and heading into my last year – I am a part of those upperclassmen.
With The Knight, I started writing stories for the sports section and let me tell you, they were not very good articles. But now, I am completing my first year as news editor and getting ready to take on the role as editor-in-chief.
I started school as just a journalism communication major and I have now added an advertising minor, which has opened up more opportunities – my internship with University Wellness.
What I am trying to say is that my life is constantly changing. It is doing the one thing I feared most in life and I could never be happier.
I used to once turn and hide from change – avoid it at all costs. Now, I welcome it with open arms and embrace what it has to offer because in this world, if you don’t accept change and you try to avoid it, it will just leave you behind.
Change is a part of human nature. We can’t avoid something that is naturally evolving inside of us.
You start changing from the minute you are born all the way up to the minute you draw your last breath. I spent too long trying not to change because I was scared that I would turn into somebody I would hate.
But your body doesn’t want you to hate itself, it wants you to become the best you that you can be. So far, all of the changes I have endured have either taught me a lesson or have become the best moments of my life.
You begin to develop a sense of strength by taking on change and going with what it has to offer because you are basically going in blind and on faith alone.
There is no way to tell what the future has to hold, but there’s no way to prevent it from happening.
I was terrified to leave home and go to another country where everything around me would be different and new – a change to my norm.
But, through all the tears and heartbreak this change has been the most defining moment of my 21-year-long life, so far.
Next year will have its changes and I will go into them running full-speed because life is too short to fear the inevitable. Change will happen, and you must deal with it – because it’s what you do with the change that truly matters.
BECKY HILKER
