Since beginning college, I have been given the same piece of advice over and over again: be present. In other words, live in the moment, stop looking at your phone, and don't take anything for granted. This, of course, is difficult to do as a student who has about a million things to accomplish before the day is done. However, while I do think this is extremely important, I also believe that simply being present isn't necessarily enough to live a fulfilling life. Instead, I have started to focus on a different motto: be intentional.

When I first heard this phrase, I didn't quite understand. In my head, I was already being intentional. I made decisions for a purpose, such as choosing my classes, job, involvement in organizations, etc. All of these things were meant to advance my life and help me in my future career. But as I soon realized, I was going through my life like it was a to-do list. I enrolled in classes so that I could check off the ones I needed to take to finish my major. I searched for jobs in order to make money to pay off student loans. I got involved with organizations on campus because I felt like I needed to look like a well-rounded individual.

What ended up happening was, though I tried to be sure to be present as I went about my daily life, I just ended up feeling overwhelmed. I took on too many things, and in the end I was half-assing everything instead of giving my whole heart to what really mattered. I didn't want to end my college years feeling like I hadn't really contributed anything to the world, and I knew I needed to make a change.

I discovered that being intentional didn't mean making smart decisions or being sure that everything I did was preparing me for my future. Instead, it meant throwing my heart and soul into things I truly wanted to be a part of. It meant taking the time to pursue my passions. It meant not just listening to others, but understanding their thoughts and feelings as well.

With this in mind, I started thinking less about things I needed to check off my to-do list, and more about getting everything I could out of what life offered me. I stopped doing work for my classes just so that I could get an A, but instead stepped back and enjoyed them because ultimately what I'm learning will be the things I love about my future career. I didn't look for jobs that would make me the most money or look good on a resumé, I chose one that I looked forward to going to every day. I stopped joining organizations because I felt like I had to and decided what was truly important to me.

Now, I'm not saying that I live out my motto of being intentional perfectly 100% of the time. I'm still a college student with way too much on my plate. However, I've started to cut things out of my life that I haven't been able to fully dedicate myself too, and this has made both a happier and more productive person. Being intentional is the first step to a full and joyful life.