Changes, Choices, and Goals

The only constant in life is change.

This is one of my favorite sayings. Sometimes, I get really overwhelmed when change happens. It always seems like everything changes at once, or nothing changes at all. It's exciting, but sometimes it's scary and frustrating. Recently, with my semester coming to a close and the date I leave the country quickly approaching, there has been a lot of change. 

Between internships, school stuff, moving, packing, final presentations, finals, friends, work, phone plans, and my car situation, I think I've had enough change for a while. When I think about it though, those changes are all a part of my choices. Nobody told me to take the course load that I did, or to pack my bags and leave the country, or to apply for internships. Those were all choices that I made, and choices i'm glad I made. 

We make our choices as a direct reflection of either our hopes or our fears. I made all of my choices out of my hopes for my future. Sometimes when I get really overwhelmed, it's easy to lose sight of my goals that led me to make those choices. I think it's important to keep those goals in mind, because it helps to slow things down when it seems like everything is just happening way too fast. With that being said, i'm going to go over my 6 main goals I've set for the next 6 months. 

1. Travel
Travel exposes us to the beauty of different cultures, mindsets, and lifestyles. As my really close friend put it yesterday, "the point of going to college is learning how to do things and learning from experiences outside of the classroom. Travel is outside of the classroom." I want to see and experience the world- I don't just want to read, hear, and learn about it.


2. Get Straight As
While grades are not a direct reflection of intelligence, they are a reflection of work ethic. I made straight As my first semester in college, and struggled a bit more my second semester. I got caught up in my social life and trying to "fit in" so I spent less time studying and more time going out with friends. While a few B's don't make or break your GPA (we're on the +/- scale), its best to put your best foot forward in every way possible. Why make a B+ in a class if you're intelligent enough and capable enough to make an A Even if I don't make straight As, I want to set the goal anyway.

3. Get an Internship
I had the really tough choice of choosing between a campaign manager position and going to Italy. Ultimately, I chose Italy because the perceived value at the time weighed heavier for me. I have two more years to hold internships and positions. When I graduate from college, I want to start my career so I need to travel the world now while I don't have as many immediate responsibilities. I have a phone interview coming up with the Department of State, and i'm crossing my fingers. Even if I don't get it, i'm not going to give up. I'm going to keep applying places until a door opens. If there isn't a door, make one.

4. Transfer Schools
I haven't really shared this goal with many people because I've been scared to, but I think it's one of my most important ones. I chose my current school for the wrong reasons, and that's reflecting in my life and the opportunities presented to me. Even after trying to make it work for two years, I'm still not happy and I know i'm not maximizing my potential. Instead of continuing to be unhappy, i'm taking steps towards changing my situation. It will be stressful, and it will be a huge change, but it will be worth it. I have my eye on 3 universities, so I'll keep you guys posted.

5. Grow as a Person
There is always an opportunity for improvement. Recently, I've realized a lot of areas where I need to grow and a few less major areas that I could benefit from working on. Part of my choosing to leave the country, as I stated in this blog post, is so that I can grow as a person and expose myself to new situations. This is a goal that I'm going to set for myself every year, because this is a process that never truly ends.

6. Blog Every Day
Blogging is my way of sharing my thoughts and advice for my readers like you, but it's also a great way for me to explore new things. I've been making connections with other bloggers, really putting myself out of my comfort zone by sharing personal details, and honestly it's really fun. Its one hobby that I don't want to get lost in the mix of everything else.

What are some of your goals for the next 6 months? Do you think goals are vital to growing as a person?

Ciao and with love,
Morgan

PS- Listen to "Between the Lines" and "Manhattan" by Sara Bareilles, they're currently on repeat. Cant get over them.