How to Glow up

When I was a junior and senior in high school, it was weird seeing my older friends... "Look different." Especially when they went off to college. Their sense of fashion developed stronger, and their faces became different. I'm talking about makeup and facial hair. I see them on social media and just thought I can't wait to look like that! Different; I was ready for change. High School was becoming a burden and I was ready for a fresh start, a new life with new friends and all. I was ready to "glow up". This term is used to describe a person's transition from "Bleh" to "fabulous". And I was absolutely sure that I'll "glow up" as soon as I get to Florida A&M University.

I went to college and was expecting the glow up fairy to hit me across my head and I'll become beautiful with new clothes, makeup, and shoes, and with deep inspiring Instagram quotes to post. But I didn't, I found myself lost majority of the time I was in college about who I was, who I wanted to be and what I had potential to do. It didn't take me until the end of my first semester to realize that I did "glow up". I had this distorted reality that “glowing up" was all materialistic, when it is actually more personal than that. I've been in many situations and learned from all of them. I've been emotionally down to a point I didn't want to move on, but I learned that everything happens for a reason as you go throughout each season, so just pack light and keep it moving. I remember speaking to my mother on the phone after I finished my last day of classes, and telling how happy I was about changing my major and how excited I was to be working with children again. I was also telling her how I'm looking forward to the next semester because there's so many things I learned and now I know how to be great and successful. "I'm glad to hear you happy about something, you honestly sound happy now," She told me. "But now you know what you need to do and all you can do now is go get it. You learned so that makes you mature, and you're learning to be a responsible young lady. Keep it up, remember your family is here to back you up." So from that my "glow up" is learning from my mistakes and becoming greater.

"Glowing up" is all about transitioning, and transitioning is a natural part of life. People can get so blinded by the materialistic things that they don't even see themselves changing. While transitioning, expect to feel depressed and anxious, realize that this is a new / old chapter in your life, Think positive, think opportunity, Hit the ground running, and Get support because it's difficult doing it on your own.

Whenever we move forward we leave something behind, whether good or bad. As in Erykah Badu's "Bag Lady", we have to pack light, because everything we hold on to is a different aspect of our lives. If we hold on to the unnecessary things, we'll never be able to grow and move on to the next chapter of our lives.

#college #glowingup #choice #change