Finding New Motivation

Most high school students have high hopes and dreams of one day attending a prestigious college. I was no different. Nearly all of my high school activities revolved around the idea of resume building and college acceptance. Every paper I wrote, book I read, or club meeting I attended, I was in it for the greater purpose of being accepted to college. All of this work and anticipation made my decision of choosing my college extremely difficult and overbearing, but I am overwhelmingly happy with where I ended up.
The college lifestyle is so different from that of high school. No longer do I have to answer to my parents, be in (most) of my classes, worry being tardy, staying on campus during school hours, and on and on. I am on my own, and loving it. My transition into college seemed so natural and smooth. I was so ready to be done with the high school drama and structure and finally be truly independent. While I observe my peers, and see the different ways people have handled there adjustments, it makes me quite often think why some people have been able to handle the change better than others.
For me, personally, I think what helped my smooth transition was how independently my parents raised me. Having an older sister gave me more leeway around the house, and I was able to make my own decisions for the most part. I have never been grounded, and I think, from this, I have learned to punish myself for my own actions. I think this is important and the way that it should be.
Now that I no longer do my homework and my activities so that I can get into college, I have to do it for myself. It is my challenge now to find what goal will keep me striving to do my best. Maybe it will be acceptance to the business school, or maybe working towards getting a great job. Regardless, I’m on my own now. The responsibilities are all up to me. I’ve made the transition, and now its time for me to strive to do my best. I think we can all relate during this part of our lives. We all need to find a new type of motivation to keep us going, on track, and doing the right thing.