Opinion | Be a sponge

Senior Josh Mandell gives his parting wisdom as he grapples with life after graduation. Unsplash

Soak it in — because it’s all coming to a close. 

For most students, this is just another school year ending and they’ll be back in the fall, but for seniors… this is it. The final week of an 18-year journey. 

As daunting as that is, think about how exciting it is at the same time. We get to shape our futures however we want. The decisions we make now will help shape the rest of our lives. 

By Josh Mandell, features and entertainment staff writer

When I was a freshman, I received the best piece of advice I may have ever received. That advice was to “be a sponge” — to absorb everything I possibly can and enjoy the present. It’s unfortunate, because it fell on deaf ears. The little ball of anxiety that I was; I was too busy thinking about every possible excuse to go home or get out of whatever I was doing. 

Over the years I would think about this quote and what it meant to me. I would go through the brief spurts of motivation where I would really focus on it. But always in the end, I would fall back into my same patterns and revert back to the coasting I was so comfortable with.

My entire life I would always look forward to being done with things. For example, I was so excited to be done with school: first middle school, then high school and now college. I struggled with their finality and the change that would ensue, but the entire time I would think about being an adult, becoming independent and how much I wanted to be in a different place in life. 

Throughout our entire adolescence we are told to “appreciate being young” and “ enjoy the moment,” but that is one of the hardest things we can do as people. This idea of being present and being able to block out 95% of all outside troubles is so convoluted and complicated. It seems impossible. 

I challenge you to try and be a little more present this week. Be there when your parents call and really talk to them. Take a second on campus to appreciate the beautiful people and trees. Do something you hate. Do something you love — whatever it is it will make you feel alive in one way or another. Sit with that feeling and be grateful you have the opportunity to feel like that. 

So many times we look back on fond memories we share and think, “I really miss the good ole days, why can’t life be that simple anymore?” 

Newsflash, you’re here! You’re living in the good old days right now, you always are to a future version of yourself. You might as well make the most of everything you do, it’s a much more fun way to live.

We are never content with our present moment so we constantly try to think about the simplicity of the past. It’s comforting, it’s safe and you can’t change it. It’s human nature to say how life would be better if I had this or if this happened, but the greatest lesson of all is to be grateful with where you are right now because whether you believe it or not you worked hard to get there. 

So, now when I hear someone say “Be a sponge” I have a different appreciation for it. I absorb everything I can and try to be as present in moments as much as I possibly can. Being a sponge can mean so many different things, but to me it will always be about making every day count, living that day to the fullest. 

As 18 years comes to an end and you walk across that stage and get that diploma, take a moment and breathe. You did it. Look around, see the immense amount of people there for you, smile and be appreciative of where you are and what you have. 

Don’t let this fall on deaf ears. Be a sponge and soak up every last moment you can, because before you know it, you’ll be here too. 

Life is full of beginnings and endings, and while this is an ending, it is also the birth of a brand new beginning, so go make it your own.