And that marks the end of half of my college career.

Another year closer towards my progression of growing into myself and the person I want to become. I think this year was the realest I’ve been with myself – pinpointing my capabilities, needs, and desires.

It started off with some new responsibilities — becoming a Resident Advisor. A difficult but necessary point of growth for me. It opened my eyes to the way I see authority in my daily life, and to the people that define their worth through competition. I wrote about that earlier this year.

In the city of angels, reality is hard to come across, especially if the opposite is all around. It’s like trying to swim a lap across a pool, but with piles of debris in your way. You are constantly questioning your ability to get across. I met a few people (like the ladies in the photo above) who kept me grounded and swimming through the pool, and I have them to thank for not losing my true identity and purpose in the debris. I’m so grateful for y’all.

Quite frankly I struggled a lot mentally and emotionally my first semester — the “sophomore slump” was hitting me hard and getting used to being alone was a new hurdle. My creative projects kept me somewhat sane, but my lack of energy from all things school left me feeling disheartened.

And then second semester rolled around…

I told myself it was time I started taking charge of my own feelings and actions, because yeah some shit isn’t in my control but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t still get out there and make the most of every day.

It’s a miracle how focusing time on things you love to do changes the way you feel about yourself and people around you. My close friends know that I talk to anyone and everyone, something I’ve grown into as I realized at the core every person is the same, we have the same fear of discomfort and desire for love and acceptance.

So why not break the ice and connect with every human I come across, even if it was just for 5 minutes. It’s what allowed my creativity to peak, as I stepped out to work with so many amazing people that taught me to inspire in a different way.

Soon enough, my hard work paid off — I was published in two magazines (ARCHIVE Issue 05 + 08), excelled in school, and continued to expand my creative network with an agency. Traveled out of country, went on a service trip, and road tripped across 5 states with my best friends.

When I realized that my purpose wasn’t to fulfill someone else’s agenda or fit in a mold, I was able to show myself that I could comeback better than ever. I’ve become the most confident in myself in while and can’t wait to see where it takes me this summer and next year.

Until next time,
AT