By Kaylon Coleman

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always looked at life through the lens of a glass half full. A guiding mantra I’ve carried with me since inception is that everything will work out. I love being an optimist. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that optimists are few and far between in a world full of pessimists and pragmatists — which unfortunately, is extremely valid given the current state of our world. 

Just like other metaphysical concepts throughout life, such as love or faith, hope is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, hope provides you with aspiration. It fills you with a fire and desire for a better future like Drake; but on the other hand, it can lead to insurmountable disappointment and heartbreak, like Drake.

 When you allow yourself to be vulnerable and to feel something so personal like your raw unadulterated feelings, you open the door to letting those same feelings tear you up. If you’ve watched the newer Spider-man movies you may have heard MJ say, “If you expect disappointment, then you can never really get disappointed.” While she has a point, I just can’t co-sign this way of thinking.

Living your life on a half measure is no way to live. In a relationship, you can’t half-love to walk out half-hurt. It’s not fair to either side. You must burn brightly the whole way through. If things don’t work out, c’est la vie. At least you can say you went full throttle the whole way and never sold yourself short of your emotions — which is the exact sentiment you should hold when it comes to optimism.

Everyone wants to live a better life, everyone prays for better days. So, why not embrace it all gas no brakes, regardless of how it may turn out? Yes, not everything is gonna work out, but when does it ever? It’s like Princess Leia says in The Last Jedi, “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.”

And, for those who may be struggling to find their optimism — I get it. Even I don’t wake up bright and cheery everyday; it’s impossible. There will be just as many bad days as good ones. I’d love to have the answers, but I don’t. Although, I can tell you about some of the things that have gotten me through tough times: Friendship. Community. Music. Food. Movies. Video games. The Sun. The outside. Aimless drives. Weed. 

Find your support system. It’s easy to scroll and to rot and to wallow in your misery, thinking “this is the worst,” but know that this too shall pass. Frank Ocean said it best, “Every night fucks every day up. Every day patches the night up.”

Hope is beautiful. It’s inspiring. It spawns resilience in all those who embrace it. As someone on the verge of graduating, with no prospects but plenty of  dreams, I can’t help but be excited for the future laid out for me, because I know everything will work out — I have to believe that. Not only does it make life worth living, but it adds a kick of spice to everything. Am I gonna make it big one day? Damn right. Do I know how I’m gonna get there? Absolutely not. But that’s where the fun comes in. Life is Roblox; I have no idea what’s in store for me and neither does anyone else. So, why let negative attitudes steer your direction? In a world of pessimists and pragmatists, be an optimist. I promise you, it’s much more fun that way.

Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.