Don't Ask Me That

There is always that one topic that you really hope no one asks you about.

Just a simple question that could ruin your time at a family function, party, dinner, or any event... really. It's different for everyone. It could be, "So why don't you have a boyfriend, honey?" Or, "Do you really plan on getting anywhere with that running sport of yours?"

Nowadays, that dreaded question for me is, "So, what's next?"

Why do I hate this question so much? Well, like many 20-somethings, I don't have an answer to that question. I guess you can say I'm going through one of those "quarter-life crises," in which I simply have no clue what direction I want to take my life. And, with Internet these days, it seems like everyone knows what I should be doing EXCEPT for me. 

Articles like, "20 Things 20-Year-Old's Don't Get" seem to flood my Facebook newsfeed by friends who are in a similar rut. While I appreciate any advice I can get from someone who has "been there," it still comes across slightly discouraging.  

Take the Forbes article, for example. One of the points says, "Social media is not a career." Well, there goes my five-year plan. 

Other articles recommend just enjoying the ride that is life. Travel, they say. See the world. You're young. There is nothing to tie you down. Just, go...GO!

My question is... With what money? Unless I plan on packing a month's worth of PB&J's (using my mom's bread, of course) and sleeping on streets, I don't think I will be taking a Euro-trip any time soon.

While it may not seem like it now, I am actually very optimistic about my future. I have big dreams and all of the support I need standing behind me. Being in transition, though, and not having much to show for those future dreams (besides a diploma) is the tough part. 

At times like these, I think the thing that most 20-something's need to do is slow down. Take life one application at a time. One suggestion (from those who have "been there") at a time. Or if you are lucky enough to be able to travel, one city at a time. As for me, tomorrow is just another day pursuing a dream with my feet planted firmly right here in Georgia (for now).

Miles and Mustard Seeds

For the past nine years, if anyone asked me what I was passionate about, I would reply "running" without even batting an eyelash. And it's true. Running was my life. It consumed my high school days with countless hours spent on the rubberized track in the unforgiving Georgia sun. Cross-country is certainly not a sport for the weak at heart. It challenges not only your body but also your mind. I sometimes questioned why I chose to put myself through so much agony for a sport, but it all made sense to me as I grew older.

Senior year track at UGA

Running is in my blood.

The soreness, the blisters, the injuries; it was all made worthwhile with the companionship, the competition, and any slight improvement that came along the way. As a member of the cross-country team at the University of West Georgia and eventually the University of Georgia, I made lifetime friends and memories. However, running also caused me great pain. Injuries and anemia plagued my final seasons with the bulldogs, and, at the time, it seemed like the end of my world. Competing was everything to me, and being told that I couldn't participate in what I loved for a period of time was devastating.  However, something my great-grandmother told me as a child always seemed to get me through. Referencing Matthew 17:20, she would tell me, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can do anything."

I would think, "A mustard seed? Really? That's all it takes?" Well, it's a lot harder than it seems.

Courtney and me

Now, as a recent graduate of UGA, I'm relying more than ever on that mustard seed. Running has taken a back seat to the search for a career in journalism. I never really considered myself a "writer" (I was a just a "runner" that happened to write), but I know that writing is also in my blood. My older sister, Courtney, has always been my role model, especially when it comes to journalism. I'm not sure if she's annoyed or flattered by the fact that I'm chasing a similar dream of a journalism career. I like to think she takes it as a compliment. Now that I am at this crossroads in my life that comes with graduating, I'm looking not only to the guidance of others, but to that mustard seed that carried me through the ups and downs of my athletic career. Although I'd like to jump into my dream job right away (or at least have the stability of any job), running has taught me that success only comes with hard work. So until that dream job comes along, I'm just going to take it one day at a time and enjoy the journey.