By: Jonathan Franklin, Senior Writer
I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m feeling…16? As strange as this sounds, the number 16 brings back some great memories and has me excited about what the future holds for the year 2016.
Thinking back six years ago (wow, that’s a long time ago…), I can remember looking forward to turning 16. From being able to have the freedom to get a part-time job to make my own money, to having my curfew extended on weekends, to even getting the waiver for my restricted driver’s license to drive past 6 p.m. or 8 p.m., I just knew that the age 16 was going to be my year.
For my 16th birthday, I begged and pleaded for my mom to get me a brand new 2010 Black or Navy Blue Honda Civic as my first car and to have a 16th birthday to celebrate with my family and friends. Unfortunately, I did not get the car for my birthday but had awesome memories of being 16, such as taking my first college tour, winning the election for junior class vice president, getting a taste of what being a journalist is and most importantly, discovering and realizing what goals that I wanted to achieve for the rest of my high school career to prepare me for college and beyond.
For the year 2016, it is time to have the same mindset, but for bigger and better things to come. In 2016, aim to:
- Travel: Whether that may be abroad or across the United States, go open your mind to what is around you.
- Prosper: Leave the past in the past. Although there were good memories and some not so good, do not let your past deter you from your future goals.
- Achieve: Stop getting distracted by things that have nothing to do with your goals in the long run. You can pretty much take this in any way as you please, as long as it helps you with the success of your long-term goals.
- Grow: Whether growing may mean growing academically, socially, spiritually, etc., we all need/should leave room to grow as an individual to better ourselves for what is next.
While these are just a few things out of the many things that one should aim for this year, set a goal or two (or a list, actually) of things you want to achieve for this year and look back at this list come December to see what you actually did, what you didn’t do or what you surprised yourself with; you never know what life has in store for you.
