It is officially the time for nostalgia, at least for the senior class of 2026. Our baby pictures are due December 1st, so we find ourselves going through our camera rolls, pen drives, hard drives, and even albums in search of that special image that is able to convey the emotion of childhood. I have even spent some evenings following my childhood rituals that had long been dismissed; between them, colouring. This process has personally brought a lot of emotions, memories, and anxieties about growing up: Am I ready to be an adult? To live by myself on the other side of the world? To no longer share a roof with my siblings?
Over the past few weeks, every time I see a child, I feel a sense of nostalgia. I see them walking around campus smiling, running, singing, and dancing, and I am reminded of what it is like to enjoy every minute of your life. And don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that senior year is a terrible time or that we are incapable of being happy, but I have realized that I have been living the past few months without truly enjoying the great things that have been happening. It may seem pessimistic to admit that we can leave this world at any moment, but it is true, I was recently reminded of it. So, how do I choose to live my life now? Because, I know that a few years from now I will look back to this moment and regret worrying too much about meaningless things, I will regret not spending enough time with the people around me, and I will regret the dark tint which I placed over my senior year.
At the end of the day, everything is about perspective. So, no matter how much I miss my early childhood, I know that right now I am living through a very memorable period of my life, so I better enjoy it while it lasts. I do not know the answer to all the things I ask myself, but what I do know is how I want to live my life right now: with purpose.
Upon deciding, comes the hardest part: how do I live my life with purpose? I’ll confess that I don’t have a clear answer right now, but I do know where to start, or at least where I will start. I will be meaningful about what I say and how I say it. In order to prevent looking back at this time with regret and being aware of the power of words, I am committed to expressing my affection for others, to make sure that love is never left unsaid.
One thing that warms my heart about Pepe’s departure is knowing that I told him everything I had to say when I had the chance. I wrote him a letter in which I let him know the importance of his presence in my life. Today, I don’t live with the regret of leaving things unsaid.
So, these are my challenges to you (and myself) today:
- Reminisce over your childhood but find a way to keep that spirit alive
- Express your feelings out loud and let people know you care about them
