By Tanner Anderson, Page Editor

After days of contemplating where I will go after graduation and how I will succeed in this economic rough patch, there is a na’ve voice inside my mind that wishes me to pass on a simple statement: the loss of inspiration and the fear of pursuing a dream is the destruction of success.

At times it may seem we are living in a world that merits accomplishment by economic value and status. Trivial physical statements attempt to define an individual, such as brand names of clothes, the car you drive, where you call home, whether you are focusing on your 401 K and how close you are to reaching and grasping the ever so falsely advertised American dream.

Not until recently did a true realization set in that these physical illusions of grandeur, when opened, overflow with inadequacy.

Now at 22 years young, I have dreams of leaving this university to begin my work force, tax-paying journey and have a hope that in whatever I pursue I will be able to leave something timeless and valuable for others. However, in the end I fear most individual achievements eventually will be forgotten.

Days that feel trivial will come. Stress and angst will come, and you may feel burdened by the constant dull of a daily routine. These inevitable hurdles will plague many graduates who pursue their respective careers. In whatever you pursue, not just in the career field but in life, please search for passion, search for inspiration and do not let fear hold you back.

It takes these daily, unrecognized achievements to better our nation and allow us to transition toward better times.

Because we are a nation founded on perseverance, millions of U.S. citizens were born and raised in difficult times but had the endurance and drive to create a better future.

Fads will change, economies will rise and fall and everyone at some point will become aggravated with their jobs. Times have been harder, and our ancestors still have succeeded; it is our time to succeed. It is our time to leave our mark upon the world and write the chapter of our generation.