To be completely honest, I am fairly certain that I have officially caught the bug. Not the flu or a common cold, but that drive and excitement that gets you through each year and pushes you to be the best you can be. It is now that I am getting that second wind during this first semester of my senior year. Generally speaking, I like many college seniors am eagerly looking forward to graduation and all that the "real world" has to offer. A consistent salary, no homework, a bigger place and maybe even a new city. Who knows, maybe graduate school or coaching overseas.
Unfortunately, with my second wind, I have also grown up a little bit more. If an amazing internship with Ford Motor Company, meeting the President and CEO Alan Mulally, living on my own, traveling abroad, playing competitive Division II athletics and nearly completing four years at a top university wasn't enough, I have found yet another way to mature and better prepare myself for the future. How you ask?
I like to think it is because I found the secret. I actually discovered the secret about a year ago when I was talking to fellow classmate Evan Sprinkle about internships, involvement, etc... Unfortunately, I never took what he said to heart...Until now. In our conversation, I mentioned to him that I wanted to get as involved as possible to prepare for the "real world". Evan simply smiled and said, "Tyler, THIS IS THE REAL WORLD". He looked around and continued, "This..All of this is real". I just nodded and agreed, but about a year later I thought about that conversation and it never meant so much. Here, I have been getting involved, keeping my grades up and meeting as many people as possible to prepare for something that most students assume comes after you walk across that stage with your degree.
The secret, however, is that within the experience and knowledge you gain from four years at Queens, you have actually been living in the "real world" as real as it comes. Countless leadership, management and core classes that were designed to help me as a student separate myself from the pack and help me live a noble life as a person is finally taking shape. I don't feel like just a student at Queens anymore, but someone ready to make that stride for the top and be the best at whatever I do. I don't see dry erase boards, classrooms or homework, but opportunity and a chance to take the tools I have gained in four years and use them in any future endeavors I may encounter. I have learned from Queens to take what life gives you, take opportunities presented to you and use them to not only lead but help.
Sure, I might put a little more thought into this than the average senior, but after taking a step back and realizing that I'm already there, it has been the fuel for my fire. I have never felt more inclined to be everywhere and do everything. Granted, it may not be humanly possible, but hey, it never hurt to try right? I can't tell you how busy I want to be or how hard I want to work. 6:30am workouts with the lacrosse team, countless hours of tutoring, helping out at four hour events in costume, giving up entire weekends for conferences or Queens events and even sacrificing sleep among many other things has been the "real" world for me. This is it and as much as I don't want it to end, I can't say enough about how happy I am to be prepared for what I am now going to call the next step...Not the "real" world.
Haha. I only read about half, but your a good writer! Your also a pretty sweet guy... keep up the good work and let me know the next time you extra in a movie ;)
Posted by: Caitlin Hays | November 09, 2008 at 07:10 PM