A Letter to the Underclassmen: The Power of Patience:

The seven virtues, recognized by most as guiding ways to live a satisfactory life, are the following: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility. While like everyone else, I’ve fallen short of all of these virtues in different times in my life, one has always stood out. I’ve always fallen short of one specific virtue, and that is patience. Whether it’s my food taking too long in the microwave or a red light that’s a little too long, patience has always been a struggle for me.

Patience is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as, “The ability to accept delay, suffering, or annoyance without complaining or becoming angry.”

Upon entering high school, my patience was challenged to the highest degree I’ve ever experienced. Coming from eighth grade, I held myself to the expectation of finding a friend group immediately. What I didn’t know was that high school is about growth and change, and the expectation I held for myself was impossible. I became impatient and confused when things didn’t go according to plan.

What my eighth-grade self wouldn’t understand is that it’s not realistic to expect that much coming straight out of middle school. I wish I could tell myself that things will most definitely change over the next four years, and that the confusing feeling I had about friend groups would not last forever. I would also tell myself that I will change over the four years, and sometimes, I look back on myself in eighth grade as unrecognizable. I’ve learned the power of being patient.

There is power in being patient with yourself. For me, this looked like not holding myself to extreme expectations, and being okay with the uncomfortable phases. There’s power in being patient with your circumstances. These are ultimately out of your control, and it can be challenging to