To the Wesleyan community,
Starting off my senior year, I feel a little disoriented balancing feelings of excitement, uncertainty, and sadness that every event this year will have the word “last” tacked on the front. I want to delve into the feeling of uncertainty. We so often rush through times of uncertainty because it feels wrong not to be in control. For me, being in control is a form of perfectionism, which often blocks me from progressing. If I feel like I have way too much on my plate to be organized, I often enter a spiral and give up. This year, I want to intentionally approach everything with willingness and flexibility. I want to invite our community to do the same.
While this year may bring uncertainty, I encourage everyone to approach each day with confidence and purpose. Whether deciding on where you want to spend the next four years, or taking your first high school math test, I encourage every student to give their full effort without fear of failure. In Psalm 55:22, God promises stability when you “cast your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” This year, our community can carry this promise that through Him, we are sustained and cannot be shaken in faith.
I developed this new perspective during my summer Bible course, after writing a fifteen-page research paper on a study of my choice. Having all this freedom, my study felt very unstructured, and I was very overwhelmed. Being uncertain of what the answer was to my research, I immediately imagined the worst and thought that I couldn’t do it. However, this course changed my faith immensely, fostered new relationships with my mentors, and allowed me to share my knowledge with others. My point in sharing this is that letting go of control allowed me to approach everything step one at a time, leading to a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Freshmen, this is a prime time of newness for you. Embrace being uncomfortable with the new workload or not being familiar with your new team. You will adjust and fall into the routine where everything feels in your control once again. But for now, be excited, ask questions, introduce yourself to teachers, make new friends, and allow yourself to grow.
Sophomores, don’t let this year pass by without being intentional about seeking something new. Within a matter of months, my life completely changed during my first semester of sophomore year. This was a time that I completely leaned into God’s control and His placement of people in my life. You have an opportunity to accept this for yourselves. Invite Him in, do not try to shift His course, and do not doubt. This is a time that I look back on now and would give anything to live once more. Being open handed to my future and accepting what was in store each singular day gave me peace and contentment. You don’t need all the answers. Pray for God to guide you in His greater direction, so you can enjoy your experience and flourish.
Juniors, while you have heard many stories about this being the “worst” year ever, I am sure no one has told you what the worst entails, which is what makes this year so daunting. Whether you are overwhelmed by horror stories of the ACT or feeling the pressure of performing well, don’t carry this “newness” as a burden. My advice to you all is that time will pass, this is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be a time dictated by burdens. Refer back to Psalm 55, which clearly states that He will not allow you to be shaken or overwhelmed, but instead will sustain you and carry your challenges. Let this be a year where you embrace your challenges and, through faith, turn them into triumphs.
Seniors, we are all in a shared experience right now, as none of us know what the future holds for the end of this school year. I urge you to be excited and lean into the fact that we are all in this together. In my experience, trusting in God’s outcome is the only way to be joyful in the present and rewarded in the future. While we patiently wait for the next four years of our lives to unfold, I want our class to be grateful and present during this time which we do cannot control. While we can pour our best efforts into applications, ultimately, we have done the work, the hay is in the barn and God will set us on the right path.
While uncertainty can be intimidating, I challenge everyone to take an approach of acceptance and excitement, allowing yourself to be blessed with everything new that comes your way this school year.
-Elle Taylor
Co Editor-in-Chief
