Living Without Expectation

As a college student-athlete, living with expectations of what each day will look like, is all I have known. I was always the person who made plans weeks in advance or wrote out every detail in my planner to ensure I knew what to expect going into each day. When finally taking a bold leap of faith to study abroad, I realized there was no way I could plan for what I was about to experience.

I would often read blog posts, or hear about past experiences from others who studied abroad saying, “It was the best decision of my life,” or “I learned so much about myself.” It wasn’t until I studied abroad for a semester in South Africa, that I could fully understand the impact of those quotes. As cliché as it sounds, my semester abroad was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Whether it was the challenges, life-long relationships formed or the unreal adventures, there was no way I could have even dreamed of what was to come.

Beginning with what I learned about myself through my trip; I found more independence in myself than ever before. I have always considered myself an independent person, but something about flying across the world and not knowing anyone forces you to step outside of your comfort zone more than ever before. With that being said, it wasn’t until I stepped into the uncertainty of everyday life, and woke up with the intent to live boldly, that I started to see the benefits of living without expectations.

Personally, I was always so focused on the routine of being a college student; waking up, going to class, completing a practice, studying, repeat. However, through my experiences in South Africa, always waking up to endless possibilities, proved there is beauty within the small details of life that often go unrecognized due to the normalcy of our routines. Whether it was getting to know the barista who made my coffee every morning, or passing the same street artist on my way to class every day; when you approach life with the intent to make every day memorable, there are always small joys within an everyday routine that I often did not recognize. Since coming back from my trip, I am so much more aware of what is going on around me. I am aware of the joy that comes within the small conversations when passing people. I am aware of the impact you can have on someone from showing them small acts of kindness. These advantages have helped me live life in a completely different way than before, which I never would have recognized without making the choice to study abroad. Stepping outside of my comfort zone and experiencing the world around me, instead of waking up and putting barriers on my day by expecting what I ‘planned’, has forced me to want to live life more fully and experience more.