“You are great and you will do great things.”

This is a quote from a friend of mine recently as I voiced my worries about the future to her. It’s hard to imagine that sentence could be true, especially as a college student. After sifting through endless choices of schools, narrowing down the options, and finally choosing one, I would say I have landed in the right place — Sacred Heart University.

Now, two years through college, there is an expectation for me to do something amazing with my decision. After all, you chose college for a reason, right? Now that you’ve here you should be able to start doing great things ... right?

Sometimes doing great things seems so far out of reach. What am I great at? What can I be great at? And whose definition of great am I supposed to work towards?

There are many opinions of what greatness is. According to Webster’s dictionary it means, “of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average.” That in itself is very broad, but after taking into consideration outside points of view, the definition gets more complicated.

Parents and professors push us to become their version of great through guidance and structure. Of course these are important people and influences in our lives that help us learn and grow, however, the constant expectation to be above-average is a lot of pressure. Maybe greatness seems so out of reach because of the constant reminder that there are other people watching and waiting for that something great to happen. Instead of focusing on these outside opinions, we should be taking a look at ourselves and asking if we like what we are doing. Only then can we push ourselves down the right path.

Pressure from peers should disappear as you understand your full potential and become the greatest version of yourself. Teens and 20-somethings have it much easier since we are still building the foundation to our futures. We are at a place in our lives where we can start taking charge and making a difference by expanding the expectations we have for ourselves.

Greatness and opportunity for growth both come with trying new things and working at them when it seems difficult. New experiences make the once seemingly impossible, possible. Nothing is keeping you back. Just go for it, and see where it leads you next. And of course, effort is the key in anything and everything you do. If you go the extra mile you will see a difference.

I know I have asked myself, “How will I make a difference?” That is an far-reaching question, but I have come to realize that although changing the world is possible, sometimes just changing your own world can make a big enough difference. Many people are rooting for you to win. Greatness isn’t measured in what you do, but by the effort you put in to get achieve your goals. Never stop reaching for something even bigger.

You are great and you will do great things.