Today I was sitting in Jimmy John’s waiting for my sandwich reading one of the many signs that they have posted around the shop. This one in particular caught my attention as it was made up of “I believe” statements (For full text, go here). There was one statement in particular that caused me to pause. It was simply, “I believe… that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.”
For the very first time in my life, I honestly considered a tattoo. I guess that it was a good thing both tattoo shops I passed on my way back to campus were closed still (this was in campus town, there are lots of tattoo shops there, they generally are open at night).
You see, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to “grow-up”. Being around so many college students it’s difficult not to consider it as they are all faced with some fairly meaningful questions that they feel that they must try to answer as they embark on their “adulthood”. I often get asked for advice and even though I often feel ill-prepared to give it, I do have to say something. Many times, what I advise boils down to something like this:
- Enjoy what is in front of you right now, don’t rush ahead to the next thing.
- Try to get out and see as much of the world and meet the people in it as you can before you settle down.
- Don’t settle for less than what you deserve in a relationship.
- Always write thank you notes.
- Try to take the high road whenever possible, but always have a strategy in place in case that doesn’t work.
- Don’t worry about age or grey hairs. Worrying will cause you to look your age and have grey hairs!
In other areas, I have done my part and assimilated another knitter (with Elise’s help). This is the epic ten foot plus scarf that she made whilst knitting everywhere, including in class (I am SO proud!).
I promise that normally her eyes don’t glow red. I think it was the power of a completed project that caused that, or it could have been my camera flash! Next I will get her on Ravelry…..
Sarah Jane Humke 