Before coming to Spring Hill College, I had never really been challenged with the question of “what is your purpose”.
When asked to write about this for the first time, I remember blankly staring at my computer screen watching the cursor blink. I can recall thinking to myself “how am I supposed to know what my purpose is, when I barely know what I want my major to be?”
Finding your purpose in life is not easy, but in my opinion, Spring Hill College fosters the perfect environment for figuring it out. Looking back now on my early beginnings at Spring Hill, it amazes me the amount of growth I have experienced. It is through being challenged both socially and academically that I have begun to find my purpose.
I have always had a desire to help those in need, which is why I felt such a strong calling to attend Spring Hill. The importance of service to this school was something that was unlike any of the other schools I was considering. Deciding on a school was more for me than just sports or academic standings. I wanted to go to a school where I would continue to be shaped into a better individual. I guess you could say I was wanting to find my purpose before I really even knew what that meant.
One of the most impactful quotes I have read regarding this topic is a quote by Mitch Albom. In this quote Albom says that “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” I think this quote perfectly sums up what I want my purpose in life to be, to love others, help those in need, and to continue to allow myself to grow.
There are so many amazing resources at Spring Hill that encourage you to find your passions and purpose. My purpose-finding journey began freshman year in my LEAP class. The required reflections really made me take a step back and look at the big picture. I had never done self-reflections before and now looking back, it was one of the most beneficial things I did in order to start developing me into the person I wanted to become. I believe it is so important for a person to understand who they are before they can make any change. The newly formed Pathways to Purpose program is also a very beneficial program for students to utilize. Created as a result of the Quality Enhancement Plan, the program already has events and reflection prompts nicely organized in a guide book. This is a great tool for students looking to find their purpose and for students seeking personal growth. The Foley Center, Another program that Spring Hill offers, is a program that has personally impacted my life. The experiences I have had through this program are unlike any I have had before. They have challenged me, but also opened my eyes to new experienced and ultimately and made me a stronger individual.
I continue to work every day towards finding my purpose, and while it may change throughout the years, I know the experiences I have had at Spring Hill will mold me into the best version of myself.
Finding your purpose is a lifelong journey and for some it may begin later than others. The important thing is not how long it takes you to finds your purpose, rather it is just for you to simply find your purpose. I would encourage everyone to take the time to reflect on what you believe your purpose may be. Figure out who you are and determine who you want to be. Your journey may start as a blank page and a blinking cursor, but I can assure you that will not last long.
