Jeanie Grimm, College Consultant
Spring has sprung here in Western New York! It’s glorious, most of the time, and the season brings out the (very mediocre) gardener in me. This past week, I’ve thought quite a bit about what it takes to grow. This blog post is specific to our younger students, but anyone might find a little food for thought in it!
Anticipating the warmth of the season, I planted zinnia, cosmos, and sunflower seeds. For weeks, I nurtured their growth indoors, regulating the amount of light, water, and warmth they received, and determining just the right spots around my home where I would eventually plant them. After I thinned the thrilling growth, I moved them outside to “harden,” to sort of toughen up before planting them in the ground. They were ready. Or so I thought.
Nature descended upon us. On a cool spring day, the sky darkened quickly, the temperature dropped precipitously, and, before I could do anything, a freak hailstorm hit, ruining all of my hard work, I thought. But when I looked closely, some seedlings survived and some thrived, though many were beyond saving.
Much of what I do gets translated into, or thought in terms of, the work we do with students. What does it take for a high school student to grow? The right conditions? Absolutely. Have you ever noticed how plants grow toward the light? Those many sources of light in a student’s life are key! As a student prepares to start high school, it’s important to think about who those sources of strength will be. What adults are in that student’s path? Who are their peer people?
What are the other growing conditions? My plants need the right soil and the right placement. Our kids do, too! This summer is a good time to be thinking about those ingredients for success and happiness.
Sometimes we try things and they just don’t work out. Don’t give up! Find different conditions in which to grow and thrive. If you’ve tried one sport and not liked it, try another, or manage a team, or produce hype videos…or, try something else. If you’ve auditioned and not been cast, try again. Be ready when opportunity presents itself by growing some skills through trying different things, and by being able to bounce back when they don’t work out. One small sprout of effort may not be productive, but that doesn’t mean another won’t thrive.
Sometimes you can do everything right and it just doesn’t work out. That’s hard…but that’s also part of being human. Try different growing conditions, and you might just discover the very best way for you to grow!