Posted by Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia has been an educational experience. Philadelphians are very proud of the fact that this is the birth place of America, the place where the Declaration of Independence and the first capitol of the United States of America. I enjoyed the field trips to the Betsey Ross House, the Constitution Center, and the first U.S Mint while growing up. It was a great opportunity to be able to take advantage of all the history that is right in my backyard.
As I grow older, I have gained a greater appreciation for the history of not just Philadelphia, but also the entire United States. Our country is still very young and still has a great amount of growing up to do. It makes me reflect upon my own life. I truly hate the question, “what are you going to do when you grow up?” or even, “what are you going to do after college?” I honestly have absolutely no idea where life is going to take me and I hate the idea of focusing in on one strict goal and limiting myself. This is a question that many high school and college students face on a daily basis, and it is a very stressful one. I don’t want to think about it; I just want to go out into the world and see what happens. I know it is always good to have plan, but life is unpredictable and I am more of the ‘go with the flow’ type. I don’t think that while the Founding Fathers were signing the Declaration of Independence that they planned out every step America would take in order to develop as a country. There is no way they could have planned for everything that happened.
In life you need to be open to all possibilities and realize that the only limits you have, are the ones you set for yourself. Be open to everything and anything, even if the next step makes you scared or nervous. If you never take a risk, you’ll never have any gains. You will need to work hard and remain focused on your goals, but that does not mean you need to limit your goals or that you cannot change your goals on a daily basis. There are many people out in the world who are considered ‘adults’ or ‘professionals’ and they still have no idea what they are doing when they grow up yet. I think the trick is to never grow up. That may sound cliche, but if you live everyday with no expectations and your goal is simply to do what makes you happy, then do ever really know what is going to come next?
So this Fourth of July celebrate and enjoy your family and friends. Enjoy being young (no matter your age), and live in the moment with no expectations of what is coming next. Not only will you be less stressed about the future, but the opportunities will present themselves to who in a whole new light.
Happy Independence Day!
Olivia Bohrer 