Gone in a flash: Flagler senior looks back on simpler days

By Travis Norris | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Taking on new responsibilities seems to be somewhat of a challenge these days. I was sitting around the other day and started to think about the days when everything was so care-free. Back in the day, it was about jumping off rope swings and siphoning gas out of the local farmer’s tractors to put gas in my four-wheeler. (I definitely got in big trouble for doing that by the way.)

My friends and I would sit out in the river and fish all day until the sunburn made our skin look like a ripe McIntosh apple. Life in those days definitely entailed chores, but nothing like it is today. There were no worries and really no responsibilities in those days. It was all about having fun and doing whatever we wanted. I know having responsibilities is all about growing up, but they seem to be getting harder and they’re more frequent than ever.

I’m currently a senior at Flagler College and will be graduating in the fall. I feel that right now I have a boat-load of responsibilities and sometimes they can be hard to manage. I see a lot of students always getting stressed out and pacing around campus smoking cigarette after cigarette just to help them relax. I even see students literally crying about work they have to do.

I understand that school can stress you out, but if you let college stress you out then you better get ready for after college. I too find myself sometimes depreciating Flagler and college life itself. I hear people say all the time that they can’t wait to get out and they want to just graduate. I believe the key to a healthy and successful college lifestyle is to enjoy every moment and every day.

I freaked out the other day when I looked in my mailbox and had three new bills. I started to get a little frustrated, but soon realized that this is all part of growing up and it’s just going to get a harder. I understand why people get fed up with schoolwork and class. Piles of busy work and boring presentations aren’t the highlight of my day by far.

This cozy lifestyle I have had my whole life will soon be completely changed, and before I know it, I’ll have a job with double the responsibilities. It’s funny how things change over time and you become more independent.

Flagler College has given me great opportunities for learning as a student and as a person over the four years I’ve been here. I think I’m ready for the new challenges I will face after college. Stay positive and try to enjoy everything you do. I believe if you do that it will make the stressful times seem a hell of a lot easier.