Freshman year was pretty amazing. It was the best time of my life. I found a new circle of friends at the University of Oklahoma. I joined a fraternity, grew as a Christian, served with a wonderful group of people on staff for High School Leadership Conference, and enjoyed an amazing trip to Italy with some of the best people I’ve ever met. During the summer, I studied hard and earned my certification as an EMT-Basic. Looking back, I can see clearly my growth as a follower of Christ, a student, a leader, a citizen, and a person.

But it’s time for sophomore year. I’m typing this from my room in the fraternity house, the night before I start my third semester as a Chemical Engineering major. I’ve relocated, moving from my home town of Ponca City to a new house in Owasso, Oklahoma. Things are changing fast in my life, and I aspire to change with them. So I’ve decided to set some new goals for this year, in the hopes that I can grow into the best possible version of myself.

1. Grow as a professional.

If the state government would function for once, I’d be able to start working as an EMT for an ambulance service. I want to build my skills in this area, while gaining valuable experience that hopefully leads to a future in emergency medicine. This job is challenging. Every type of humanity comes through an ambulance. Someone might die. These are challenges that you can never be fully prepared for, and I pray that I will be able to handle every situation thrown my way.

2. Grow as a leader.

I hope to serve again on HSLC, which I will be applying for as soon as the applications come out. While I take nothing for granted, I want to be able to continue to develop myself through this conference. The opportunity HSLC provides is unique, and benefits many up and coming leaders from this area. It would be an honor to continue being a part of this great group.

3. Grow as a Christian

It was rough this past year. I’ve detailed before how I drifted in my faith this past year, but rebounded. The truth is, it hasn’t gotten much easier. I know I’m closer to God than before, but I’m not where I want to be. Being a Christian and being a college student are becoming more and more separate, as we move to stamp out faith in the name of tolerance. It will be a tough struggle this year, but I hope that with time, prayer, and devotion, that I will survive the tests of this year and become even stronger in my faith because of it.

4. Grow as a friend.

One of the things I discovered throughout the year was that I lean on my close friends more than ever before. They are people that suffer through the late night study sessions, enjoy the fun times on the weekends, and are there for every event, be it good or bad. I know that I try to be a great friend, but that I often fall short. I forget too often the quality of the people that I’m blessed to be around, and sometimes I’m not the friend I should be. It’s my goal this year to grow closer to those I value most.

5. Grow as a citizen.

Most people who know me can definitively say that I’m a political person. I love to talk politics, to read election coverage, and to write opinionated articles that state my views. I want to continue to write, but I want to do better. I firmly stand against political partisanship in all its forms, and lately I have found myself leaning too far away from who I am to justify certain arguments. I am an independent voter, one who strives to end partisan rhetoric and actions rather than perpetuate it. Thus, I am committing myself to maintaining as neutral of a disposition as possible while writing, and avoiding some of the more inflammatory phrases my ever-helpful sense of sarcasm sometimes spits out. It seems like a silly goal, but it is important to me personally.

My sophomore year will be difficult. I expect nothing less. But I know that with the foundation I built during my freshman year, I can overcome every obstacle. And honestly, I’m positive that this year will be one of the best of my life.

Thank you to those of you that have read this far. I’d like you to humor me one more time and think about yourself. It is one thing to read my goals for this year and respect them, but it is another to set them for yourself. I’d like to challenge you to set a standard for yourself this year, and to push hard to achieve it. Where do you stand now? What has led you to this point in your life? And finally, how can you improve?

“The greatest legacy once can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith." – Billy Graham