By Jasmin Landa

I ask myself this question every single day.

I have found that sometimes change can bring about new aspects in one’s life that are exposed as agents of growth. For example, my senior year has begun at PSU, and I know big changes are coming. This has forced me to decide: Do I fear these changes, or do I embrace them?

For example, this past year I was able to travel abroad to Japan — an opportunity that I was scared to embark on. I kept trying to convince myself that I couldn’t sustain myself in a foreign country with a foreign language. I scheduled a meeting with my international adviser, and I expressed my concerns about how nervous I was about the new challenge I was about to embark on — one that was going to bring about a new level of capacity, a new level of discomfort and adaptability. As I was explaining my fears, she stopped me, and asked, “Jasmin, life is about change, and I want you to know that you have a community of people that believe in your growth and in your journey. Japan is waiting for you.” A month later, I was on a plane headed to Japan to what has now been the best experience I have ever had.

So when I think of change, I realized that I can fear it or face it. I know that change occurs in all students, and we all reach a fork in the road where we must find the ways to embrace change. I encourage you to find the ways that make change a life changing experience.