At moments like these, where I feel like it’s not worth the fight, it’s not worth the effort, I ask myself if it’s time to just give up. Working for something you long to have, something that means so much to you, but struggle to obtain it is one of the most difficult obstacles to get over. Day in and day out I think about whether my time has come where I know I will finally be successful. I dream about pursuing my aspirations. However, trying to make those dreams become a reality is more than difficult. The results of failure are like waves crashing into the shore, leaving behind only the dark sand. My whole life I’ve dreamt of living a life where I am happy. I’ve dreamed of having a successful job and raising a family of my own. I know that those dreams will become a reality. However, I need to continue to remind myself that in order for my dreams to come true, I have to continue to fight, continue to learn from my mistakes and get over my failures.

College is like a roadmap to finding your true self. Though you learn who your true friends are, you also learn who you truly are and who you want to be. Everyone has goals. It’s whether we act upon those goals that actually matters. However, acting upon those goals may result in failure. Your dreams may come tumbling down. You work so hard for something you desire to have. You study for hours, prepare yourself like no other, but fail the exam. You don’t know why. You don’t know how that was even possible. The only thing you do know is that it’s time to give up. It’s time to turn yourself in and change your mindset to something else. You put your books away, papers aside, and fantasize about what your life is supposed to look like. You stare off into space, thinking about what the next few years are going to entail.

These are just thoughts. The thoughts that almost every college student thinks. So why do we feel so alone when we experience the failures? Why does it appear that we are the only ones going through the pain? The thoughts we have are just thoughts. They are NOT a reality. Our failures do not define us. Our failures do not make or break us. Our failures make us stronger. They guide us on a path to greatness. The only way to achieve greatness is to get knocked down. Those who get back up, continue to fight despite the unknown outcome, are the ones who achieve this greatness.

We are human. We were not made to be perfect. We were made to learn from mistakes and grow. Many times we are told that we lack self-confidence and that we are too afraid to let go. However, the reality is is that we have these dreams, these aspirations that we long for that we don’t want to disappear. We have these goals that we want to achieve but know that if we fail enough times, these goals will be no longer attainable. The fear of losing something that could play such a huge role in your life is beyond scary. We walk this world with nerves wrapped up inside our hearts and minds. We roam the earth wondering if we are about to make the wrong move, stepping on something that could change our paths in the wrong way. Despite these fears, our lives go on. How are we supposed to be happy if we cannot get what we’ve always dreamed of having? How are we supposed to live life to the fullest knowing that there are nerves locked up inside?

Life is about experiences. Life is about learning and adventures. The only way to truly live life to the fullest is to let go. Let go of those fears. A few mistakes may ruin some chances you have on achieving your goals, but they can’t ruin all of them. It’s much easier said than done. Letting go takes a process. It takes confidence. Those who haven’t let go are not weak, they are just fearful of losing the chance to make their dreams come true. I am one of those people. I’ve experienced failures, many of whom crushed my motives to continue. However, I listen to my heart. It tells me to push through. It tells me that failure is okay. You just have to accept it and move on. Though it’s hard to accept it, we all eventually understand that failure is a part of life. It happens to everyone, even the most successful people. You don’t truly live until you’ve experienced at least one hardship. Why? Because that hardship teaches you a lesson that allows you to grow. That hardship sends you on a path to obtain what you want. Though the journey contains many obstacles, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A light sending you on your way to success, making your dreams a reality.