Ditz

Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Letter from the Editors

Ashley Van Sipma after skydiving

I was sitting in class a few weeks ago, listening to guest speaker Larry Tramutola, and I had an epiphany. Not only did he inspire the theme of this issue and the content of this letter, but he showed me that I am young and now is my time to take risks.

Larry asked the seniors what they had planned after graduation. To my surprise, not one of them had a definitive answer. I, the junior, sat there amazed and confused that they were done with school in three short months and not one had a plan.

From what I know, no plan = no money = no good.

My life has been pretty strategic. I always set goals for myself, big and small, and I pride myself on putting my full energy towards reaching them.

My first big goal was leaving home and going to Culver Girls Academy, a boarding school in Indiana. Check. My next was holding the leadership position as Dorm Chair my senior year. Check. Third was to move out to California for college. Check. Get started on my career early by creating my own magazine. Check. Check, check, check.

That class of seniors left me stunned. What was everyone else doing if they weren't applying to jobs? What's occupying their time if they're not worrying about the future like me? And who are these parents who aren't pressuring them to make some dough?

I've kept my eye on the prize for many years, always following the road map I've drawn out for myself-which, in large part, reflects the dreams and demands of my parents: "Make it across the stage, love what you do, make good money."

But when do I get to travel and see the world? When do I get to volunteer for a cause I care about and not have to worry about making money? When do I get to learn to cook, snow ski, and surf? When do I get to parasail and go camping? When do I get to not worry about my next step in life?

I've taken myself so seriously for the past seven years while I've watched friends travel abroad, fall in love, and find real happiness.

When is it my chance to do what I want to do?

Now! The time is now!

I thankfully, yet unfortunately, don't know much about failure. I've always had enough things, enough guidance, enough love. But I've never had enough push, enough confidence-and never enough adventure.

Now is my time to start learning, exploring, and living. I'm going to find out what makes me happy, rather than what makes everyone around me happy.

I'm ready to be unpredictable. Fearless. Brave.

I'm ready to start my life-for me and no one else, and I hope you'll consider doing the same. This is your time to live your life. Take risks, be spontaneous, and have fun!

Ashley Van Sipma
Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief

Linni Kral paragliding

In the past two weeks, I pierced my nose, paraglided, and lived with a family in a rural township in South Africa. This is my semester abroad, and it's making me realize I am not the Linni I once was.

I'm nothing if not humble about my adventurous spirit. I've referred to myself as PG and white bread in the past, and am always shocked when people say "Wow, you've traveled a lot." I didn't realize until this trip just how much of the world I have seen in my excursions to Peru, Costa Rica, Europe, and Mexico.

To me, it feels like the planets just aligned in my favor-I never saw myself as a risk-taker. There was, however, a concerted effort to give me this lifestyle, and I have my mom to thank for that.

I pride myself on living a life free of regrets, but my mom hasn't been so lucky. She didn't get to study abroad or backpack across Europe during college, and she has spent her life making sure her kids have these opportunities. She makes an effort to take a big trip with us every few years, and told me I had no choice but to study abroad because she never had and has regretted it ever since.

The comforts of a stale, stagnant lifestyle will return later in the form of a nagging regret that keeps you up at night. A lifestyle outside that comfort zone isn't easy, but it will often be beautiful and always be worth it. You'll get your heart broken, miss people you never thought twice about, and feel your heart and mind ripping like muscle to form new, stronger connections. It isn't a predictable way to live-at the end of the day, nothing is promised to you except your own faith in yourself. But if anything were ever going to break my streak of no regrets, it would be playing it safe. If you expect to wake up tomorrow to a world no different from yesterday, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. People often make plans to do something in a few years, but how can we be so sure we'll be around in a few years? Forgive my morbidity, but it's true.

So be flexible. Be spontaneous. Don't wait around for things to happen and don't put all your hopes on one dream-try out as many dreams as you have time for in one day! That way, your world won't be over when one doesn't come true. The core of our spirits can be found in new experiences, so go out and find something that terrifies you. It might just show you who you are.


Linni Kral
Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief