Blog: Standing at the Edge of Tomorrow

This summer while I was visiting KState, there was a tornado. Shingles and debris flew off of buildings, trees were uprooted, and sticks and leaves whirled around us. Our tour guide led us into the nearest building to take cover. So, while a tornado threatened outdoors, my mom and I sat in the basement of the statistics building and made a pros and cons list about my college options.

Most of us are on the brink of adulthood. We have to evacuate the nest soon and that means making our own choices with little involvement from our parents. I try not to think about it, but as professional musician Hank Green once put it: “even if you have an amazing skill you can still screw it up big-time.” Every single choice we make could affect the rest of our lives. And that’s enough to make anyone stressed out. Though it’s cheesy, the lyrics from the Saved by the Bell: the College Years theme, written by Michael Damian, come to mind.

“Today I’m standing at the edge of tomorrow

from here the future looks bright for me

and it’s all up to me how far I go

I’m standing at the edge of tomorrow

Today.”

Even if you aren’t a senior and you have a few more years at Shawnee Mission Wonderful – or if you have already graduated, there are still many decisions that can be stressful to make and the effect of which can be long-lasting. The decision process isn’t easy, but I’ve made its burden a little lighter by realizing that whatever choice I make, I can make it work. Nowhere is 100 percent perfect and I have had to come to terms with that.

Though I made my college decision that day on a grimy basement floor, it has not been without doubts and worries. I still wonder if I should have applied to a few more schools or if I should have looked farther away, but nevertheless, I made my choice and I’m moving forward. High school has helped me define my interests, and I can think about the specifics of “what I want to do when I grow up” later. I’m trying not to think about my insecurities and reservations. There will be many more significant decisions to make in the future, but for now, I just want to enjoy life as it comes.