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Allison Farole
Web Editor

A little motivation seems to go a long way in my eyes. Lately, I have been feeling the pressures of graduation, getting a job, succeeding and just becoming that person you are expected to become.

But do we really know who we are supposed to be right out of college? No! And that is okay.

This milestone of college graduation has been the ultimate goal that I have been working towards for the past 16 years of my educational career.

Never did I think the day would ever come but it has and I am ready to move on with my life.

Throughout the four years I have been at ULV, I have changed my mind several times in what I was going to after graduation. First it was getting a job, then I wanted to immediately go to grad school, and now finally I decided on the Peace Corps as my post-graduation career.

During the preparation for this step, it seemed as though all agreed and rooted for me.

Yet, now that the paperwork is done and the final touches are being made those that supported me are conveniently turning their heads and declining their support now.

Some say it is because they don’t want me to leave, others feel as if I am just running away and others think I need to stay home and help here.

But that is not what I want to do.

The thought of not having 100 percent support from my friends and family doesn’t necessarily bring me down, but it makes it harder for me to show them that this choice is something that will benefit me.

As of January 2008 I will be heading to Africa to teach health education for two years.

Yes, a whopping two years of my life.

Part of me feel like I am a crazy but in a weird way I am following my heart.

Nothing can compare to what Africa will give me. The culture that exists there makes me feel alive.

With my travels and adventures I hope to show those that don’t quite understand that this place I am about to embark on is amazing.

With this I hope to find out that this place is amazing and holds something that nothing here can ever compare to.

You can’t give an opinion unless you have experienced the place, event or what not first hand.

Many are also too afraid to grasp something so different.

Until I visited Africa last year I always saw it has a far away place where no one even had the desire to visit.

Yet after my trip I realized that this far away land holds a lot of secrets and it opened up a whole knew worldview for me.

I may want the motivation from the ones that I love but I also need to remember that no matter what my friends, family or society thinks, I need to go with my gut feeling and do what makes me happy.

As selfish it may sound, you are the only one that can change you or make you happy.

At this point in my life I don’t know who I am but this adventure that lies ahead of me will definitely help me to answer that inevitable question.

So as I like to say, never give up your beliefs, morals or dignity. Fight for what is right but most importantly fight for what is right for you.

So ready or not Africa, here I come.

Allison Farole, a senior communications major, is Web editor of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at afarole@ulv.edu.