Over the weekend, I listened to a lot of music. Don’t ask me why, but I couldn’t stop listening to my Pandora. In particular, the John Mayer station. His writing is beautiful and his songs have meaningful messages.
Songs can say a lot, especially if the words are being sung by Hottie-McHotterson John Mayer. One of my favorite lyrics of his is from the song “Who Says” off his “Battle Studies” album.@@http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/john-mayer-offers-first-listen-to-battle-studies-single-who-says-20090925@@ I’ve never heard something put more perfectly when it comes to finding yourself than this: “Who says I can’t be free / from all of the things that I used to be / Rewrite my history / who says I can’t be free.”@@http://www.metrolyrics.com/who-says-lyrics-john-mayer.html@@
The words “who says” are perfectly put. Not only once you moved to this school away from your family did you enter a new chapter of your life, but you had the option to write an entirely new book.  Who says that you can’t play water polo? Who says you can’t wear cat ears? Who says you can’t wear a dress? As I get deeper into life here at the University, I’ve realized there’s not a person here telling me I can’t.
In fact, it’s the polar opposite. I’ve got people bombarding me to join this club or that organization — who am I to immediately discard their request? Give things like that a second thought. This environment is perfect for being who you want to be and achieving everything you can — or not.
I say “or not” because some of us love where we came from and how that has shaped us into the person we are right this second. Make sure that just because this is the person you have become it stops you from becoming who you can be. If you want to continue being the same person you are, take advantage of all the things that the University has to offer and enhance those characteristics. Whatever your beat is, there’s a drummer here that can match it.
If you’ve chosen to expand your horizons a little but are tentative, look no further than campus. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, even if you were the person in high school that stood in corner of the dance floor or never raised a hand in class. The brilliance of starting new is that nobody here knows who you are.
Oh great, now nobody knows who I am? I didn’t mean it that way. Well, I did, but I didn’t. What I mean to say is that nobody knows who the you is that came from Smalltownville, USA, but they will know the you that walks down campus here at school. You have the opportunity to begin fresh and make a new you for yourself.
Basically, the message I’m trying to get across is to be who you want to be; because this is the time to do it. High school can be a toxic environment for some people, and it isn’t always the best time to blossom. Now that you’re here, go do something for yourself.
To be completely frank (I wish I knew who “Frank” was …)@@IT’S YOUR EDITOR!@@, this time is all about Y-O-U. You’ve got to remember to put yourself first. Yes, that sounds awfully selfish and uber-conceited, but you aren’t here to earn a degree for your parents and put it under their name. You’re here earning an education for yourself. College is stressful, so make sure you take the time to check in with yourself. Take care of your body, make sure your blood pressure isn’t through the roof and keep on keepin’ on.
Set some goals, get a new wardrobe or try something completely off your radar. Do whatever you have to do to make a new name for yourself. The choice is yours, and you can make it happen. So here’s my mantra for the week: “Be honest with yourself, even if you aren’t quite sure of who you are.” At the end of the chorus of “Who Says,” Mayer sings, “I don’t remember / you looking any better / But then again I don’t remember you.” Be beautiful, be honest with yourself and be remembered.
I hope this week’s post ignited a spark deep down in that noggin. I’ll catch you on the happy side of midterms when we find out what happens over the weekend.