As of today, I have less than two months before I move in to my Northwestern University dorm. Now that I have come to realize the little time I have left before starting my freshman year of college, I have taken the time to contemplate the past few years and how the experiences brought on by the passage of time have contributed to my personal growth.
Looking back at my freshman year of high school, I chuckle at the shy timid person I was. But who could blame me? I was starting a new part of my life in a school where I knew absolutely no one. I didn’t know where I belonged, let alone who I was. But as time passed, and I became involved in honors track courses and extracurricular activities such as music and theatre, I found my place, my confidence and my personal identity.
Fast-forwarding to now, I am put in the same position I was in four years ago: I’m beginning a new part of my life in a school where I know absolutely no one. Although, it may seem a bit disheartening at first glance, I actually don’t feel so discouraged. Yes, it’s a new school, yes, I won’t know anyone, and yes, the future seems pretty terrifying at the moment, but this time, I’m a young, confident, independent woman who is ready for whatever the world (or Northwestern) may throw at her.
If the past is any indication, these next few years of college, and the next few years after that, and so on will contribute even more to my character and I will become the person God has planned for me to be.
How have your personal experiences contributed to your personal growth?
Victoria Contreras is a summer intern with Women of the ELCA.