Sunscreen

     Alas, I sit here at 3am on an idle Tuesday morning unable to sleep a wink. I guess I am thinking to myself about all the wonderful opportunities life gives us, and if we give it our best shot to capitalize on those opportunities? As I have said before people love to complain. I have talked to so many kids my age lately about their worries. Questions such as, "What am I going to do when I graduate?" "Will I be able to get a job?" "Am I going to have to live at home?" These are all legitimate questions people, but what I would like to remind you is to live in the moment. There is a positive outlook on every negative situation in life. The question is will you take the time to seek it out? We are in college, the best years of our lives. For most of us, our parents have been so kind to spend their money to send us off to live on our own, cook our own food, go to classes on our own motivation, and make smart decisions and living with the consequences if we stray from those decisions. To answer the first question, do not think of graduation in a negative light. Think of it this way: graduation is the culmination of all the hard work you put in: the 8 am classes, the all night study sessions, the mid-terms, the finals, and the projects. You will put on a cap and gown and walk across the stage and receive a DEGREE from your University. Just getting a degree puts you ahead of the game in life, and sets you on a brighter path for a more successful future. Bottom line is... You will have a degree from a four-year institution.
     As far as jobs go, we all know that the economy is not at the highest point it's ever been. Obama has preached job creation as a priority and yet we still find our unemployment rate at an all-time high. Yes, for newly graduated college students our job market is tough, competitive, and depressing, but when you look at it from a certain perspective the economy is on its way up. You have choices. You have graduate school, you have petty jobs that pay the rent until you find a job in the career you're looking for, or you can take a year off and travel, wait it out until the job market is a little bit better! I know it is frightening to think about the idea of having to live at home again when four years ago we left the nest hoping never to return. However, moving home with your parents gives you a roof over your head, home cooked meals, two people who unconditionally love you, and a home base for when you start your job search. You don't have to worry about rent, food, utilities, or any other stress that comes with living on your own.
     Now I realize that there are tons of flaws to my alternates of finding a job out of school, because Grad School requires a bunch of money, petty jobs can be boring and don't make you a happy person, and traveling costs money which you might not have out of school. All I'm saying is keep your options open. All of you graduates have a degree, you received your degree using your brain. You're smart people, use that noodle to figure out your next step in life, or at least the next idea that you can begin to pursue.
     Now all of this talk about about graduating might make you question, "Why the hell is this titled Sunscreen?" Well, there is a song that I heard many moons ago called Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann. If you examine the lyrics it gives you little life lessons that everyone can agree to follow. Just to name a few:
- You're not as fat as you imagine
- Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra problem by chewing bubble gum
- Do one thing everyday that scares you
- Sing
- Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours
- Don't waste your time on jealousy
- Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults
- Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind; the race is long... and in the end it's only with yourself
- Get to know your parents, you never know when they will be gone for good
- Don't expect anyone else to support you
     There are so many more sayings in the song, I strongly suggest you take a listen and look at the lyrics while you do so.
     I don't know what the future holds for me. I consider myself blessed with the opportunity to go play professional basketball overseas in a city that I have loved from afar, but never visited. If it falls through, I have a back-up. If it happens, I have the next four years of my life partially mapped out, but what will truly make those moments memorable will be what I decide to do when I am not on a basketball court. I know times are tough college students, and I know live can be stressful, but remember when life throws us curve balls, it feels that much sweeter when we smack em over the center field fence.
     Goodnight, I wish only the best for all of you.
          This is G.S Moredock, signing off...