Even the small victories are worth celebrating

My friend Sydney and I signed up for a zero hour class that started at 6:40 a.m. Monday through Friday, and waking up at such a dreadful time was not easy by any means. Often times Sydney would be running late for basically every reason you can think of: car wouldn't start, alarm didn't go off, there was a dead animal in the middle of the road, or simply because she just didn't want to come that day. But on the days when Sydney did make it before the bell, her efforts did not go unnoticed, and we would praise her victory to the point where the whole class knew it was a special day because Sydney was on time.

Similarly, when my friend Abby got her new Fitbit and started setting goals for the number of steps she took in a day, we would cheer her on as she did laps in the lunch room trying to earn her way to the final steps toward her goal. Although many of our peers thought we were crazy for recognizing such small details, celebrating these little moments made life more exciting and gave us a sense of accomplishment even for the things that often go unnoticed.

Encourage others...there's enough sun to go around

My friends were always going out of their way to cheer on their peers and hand out compliments to even complete strangers. Although they had talents of their own that they weren't always acknowledged for, they were never resentful and made sure that other people felt loved and appreciated. Sometimes it's hard to fight off the envy we feel when others are praised for their abilities and ours are overlooked, but ignoring or rejecting them doesn't give you an advantage! The world needs more compassion, so go cultivate some kind words and share them with those around you!

GPA doesn't matter in heaven

Looking at this from a religious perspective, it's silly to believe God will determine a person's worth through their grades in school, but religious or not, the concept can still hold true for anyone: Your GPA does not define who you are or what your future will be like. It's disheartening to hear students excessively boast of GPAs exceeding a 4.0 or express serious emotional stress over a poor score on a test. Sometimes it's the bad grades that lead us to a new understanding of who we are and change the course of our lives in ways we never could have predicted. Surely it's important to try your best in school, but don't get too caught up in the numbers because there are far more important qualities that make you who you are!

Be intentional!

This is probably the most important piece of advice my friends have ever given me because purpose is what keeps us focused and driven to do our best! One of the things I admire most in my friends is that they always have intention in everything they do whether it's to reach a goal, help a neighbor, or serve God. Sometimes life can feel dull with monotonous chores and the tedium of busy work, but taking a moment to remember why you're doing even life's simple tasks can really put things into perspective. Being intentional will help you remember that the dozens of practice problems your professor assigned are helping you earn your degree and doing the simple of act of calling your mom can really brighten her day. Being purposeful in everything you do will give more significance to your efforts and will make your life feel more meaningful!