As college students, we endure all kinds of stressors that cause us to act irrationally. If there is nobody to run to and tell about our troubles, then those troubles become bottled up like a ticking time bomb. That metaphorical time bomb waits patiently as it builds up and eventually wreaks havoc on our surroundings. Whether the source is family, friends, or a significant other, it is imperative that we obtain systems of support to serve as a backbone when we are on the verge of what feels like insanity.
My family has served as a support system of mine for my whole life. When I was young, my parents would tell me the "dos" and "don'ts" in life, but not without giving me a certain amount of leeway. In other words, they would allow me to make my own mistakes within reason. This helped me to recognize when I had gotten myself into situations that had the potential to get out of control.
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However, they never allowed them to consume me. At 22 years old, this is a method that is more prominent than ever. The topics have changed, but the process stays the same. When I was younger, it was advice on the friends I chose, where I hung out, and how much time to spend on homework. If I hung out with the wrong people, then they would let me know, but they would not necessarily take me away from them.
I would take their advice and take care of it on my own. If I hung out in unfavorable places, they would give their advice, and I would eventually take care of it on my own. So on and so forth. Nowadays, my parents give me advice on topics like career options, how to manage my money, and even which drinks to get at the bar. Now I know some of you are wondering how deciding which drinks to get at the bar has anything to do with support, but I can assure you that it does.
The fact that I am an adult and I can hang out with my parents in such casual fashion tells me that they are not only my parents but also two of my closest friends. Knowing that I can reach out to them for advice is quite the support system if I do say so myself.
My brother is family but serves as an entirely different support system in comparison to my parents. Despite the fact that we are headed down two very different career paths, it does not change the fact that we have a lot in common. We spend a great deal of time learning about those different career paths which brought us closer as we get older. We share a vast knowledge of music, memories of our younger years, future endeavors, and other miscellaneous topics which help me to take a break from a task like studying or homework. My brother Josh is one of my closest friends.
The remainder of my family does not consist of exclusively blood relatives, although there are many of whom are worthy of inclusion. You know who you are. When I think of family, I think of anyone who has made an effort to talk me through situations I was lost in or failed to wrap my head around. In all of my existence, I have traveled to many different places, met many new people (even if it consisted of a brief hello), and I have experienced all of that with my family. Having done so, I find myself more comfortable in taking on anything in front of me.
Someone who I have every intention of taking on the life I have in front of me is my beautiful girlfriend Lindsay. My dad once asked me if I was contributing to her rent because I found myself staying at her apartment quite a bit. Truth being, I find an extreme amount of support and enjoyment in spending time with Lindsay. I hate to sound like such a cliche, but hanging out with her allows me to feel completely isolated; like nothing else (in this case, college related) matters. Some say that they do not have time to have a significant other, but my take on having a significant other is as follows: If they support you and help to take your stress away, then they are worth having in your life. I will hold onto Lindsay for as long as I possibly can because she is a very special source of support in my life. I do not care if this sounds "cheesy" because those of you with this level of support in their life can understand this. I love you Linds.
For all of those reading this article, I am sure there are a few that have learned some things about me that you did not already know. I am sure some of you feel that this was just a way for me to give thanks, and not really inform readers about having support systems in college. Well for those of you who feel that I am just giving thanks, you are only partially right. Additionally, I feel that everyone needs to think about those who support them in their life. Are they recognized? Do you feel that you need more support? Do you feel the need to give more support back to them? These are the questions that I have asked myself for years. This is definitely not specific to just students in college. This applies to anyone that longs for support as they journey into the unknown that we know to be a lifelong process.
This has been my most personal article yet, and I thank you for reading it.
