Redefining success: The college journey that changed my perspective

This past week, I found myself cleaning up my room in an attempt to avoid working on the massive amount of homework I have to finish before the end of the semester. I ended up coming across a letter that I had forgotten about that was tucked away in my desk drawer. The letter was part of an assignment in a seminar class I took my first semester at Humboldt almost 8 years ago. The assignment was simple; write down your goals for the semester, five years from now and ten years from now. 

I wrote that 8 years ago. In all honesty, it was difficult to look at what I thought my life was going to look like when I was 18 and what my life is at 26. If my life went exactly like I had hoped, I would have graduated several years ago, become a licensed engineer, got engaged, and  already bought a house. Instead, I am in a completely different major, I am with a different partner, and have lived in the same apartment for 7 years. 

The college experience has been rough for me. It has involved failed classes, a major change, a two-year break from school, and a stint at College of the Redwoods. For a long time, I felt like a failure. I was stuck in a cycle of feeling like I had disappointed my family and I carried a lot of shame around my inability to be a college graduate. It felt like every time I opened up Instagram, I was watching an old friend from high school graduate or accomplish things that I envisioned for myself.

I was obsessed with obtaining my goals and thought that you had to get to them by any means necessary. I remember reading a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson in high school and thinking how wrong it was — “It’s not the destination, It’s the journey.” I thought that it was pointless to go on the journey if you did not reach where you wanted to go. By this definition, I have not lived a successful life.

I realized during this process that my definition of what makes someone successful and living a fulfilled life has shifted. While I have yet to reach many of the goals I set for myself and left some of them behind, I am so happy that I have gone on this journey to be where I am today. I have gotten to attend Democratic Party Conferences, participate in Model United Nations, and met so many wonderful people throughout my time in college. I never would have thought I would be writing for a newspaper, but I somehow stumbled into that opportunity too.

My college journey has not been easy. I refuse to sugarcoat my challenges because it diminishes my story. I want you all to know that the struggles you may be going through during your schooling and your early adult years do not define you. I had started to think I would never graduate from college, but in three weeks I get to officially cross that off the list. 

As many of us look to the new year and begin to think about what we want to accomplish, do not be afraid to change your goals or put some on hold. We are at a time in our lives where our problems can seem insurmountable, but one of the important lessons I learned through my struggles with school is that we are often more capable than we give ourselves credit for. We all go through various challenges and hardships and we should not diminish those as we seek to become the people we want to be. Your college life is about learning how to confront some of these challenges and that no one is expected to be perfect. 

Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Success is subjective, so allow yourself to enjoy the journey. 

Jordan is a senior political science major and the president of the Politics Club. With a keen interest in current affairs and a passion for informed debate, Jordan brings a well-rounded perspective to their opinion column. Through their studies and leadership, Jordan is dedicated to exploring the complexities of political issues and fostering meaningful discussion.