Do you ever finish something you’ve been working hard to achieve and it feels a bit anticlimactic? I recently finished my final semester of college by clicking “submit” at 7:23 p.m. on a random Sunday afternoon. After putting in the hard work over the last four years, I thought it would be a little bit more ceremonious than that. Even once I attended the graduation ceremony, I still lacked a full appreciation for everything I had been through to get that degree. All I could think was what’s next?
Too often, people downplay their achievements. Sometimes, people try to be too humble to acknowledge their own successes. Other times, they are too busy looking ahead that they forget to look back and see all they’ve done to get where there are today. Think about how unfulfilling that is! Every time you work hard on something, you downplay your success and don’t take the time to appreciate it. You simply keep moving forward in life and pushing for something else. Of course, there’s a balance between it all, but constantly thinking this way makes it impossible to have a sense of accomplishment.
Even when the peak of an accomplishment does not feel like how you pictured it, you can take the time to personally reflect and take pride in your accomplishment. Looking back now, despite the last year of my college career not going as expected, I recognize how far I’ve come in the last four years. When I first stepped foot on Pitt’s campus as a first-year student, I had no idea what was in store or where I would be going. Now, at the end, I look back and remember all the exams, the hundreds of pages of papers and hours of studying, and I feel a greater sense of accomplishment as I head into law school. It is an accomplishment I am proud of and always will be!
So, to my fellow 2021 graduates, congratulations on all of your hard work. And to everyone else, I encourage you to reflect on your own achievements, and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
;)
