Hello, my name is Carryl Tinsley! I am a senior Communication Studies and Religion double major from the oh, so beautiful Wilmington, NC. Just in case you were wondering, my ideal day would include:
- A quiet morning (my favorite time of day!)
- Checking off items on a to do list
- A walk (not run) around the lake with a friend
- Laughing until I cry or crying until I laugh
- A nap in my Eno hammock while listening to James Taylor
- Listening to someone new tell their story
August 25, 2015, was my last first day of class at Furman. But, for some reason, the only date in my mind was May 7, 2016. Graduation. Those who know me know that I am unapologetically a worrier. I am constantly thinking about the future and want to grasp on to that ever so slight, deceiving sense of control.
I feel weirdly similar now to how I did when I moved in to my dorm in Blackwell three years ago. Yes, I know way more people and this place feels way more like home. I have even overcome my fear of the occasional meal alone in the DH (Dining Hall). But, the fear of the unknown and unsettling anxiousness is no different than when I drove through those gates for the first time as a wide-eyed freshmen.
I wish I had a definitive answer to the question, “What’s next?” but alas, I do not. I feel more out of control than I like to admit, and I am honestly still getting used to the idea that it is even time for all this. My sister recently started her freshman year (Go Tarheels!) and I decided to write her a letter—a “top 10 things I wish I had known as a freshman” type thing.
Although, reading it now, I think I needed those words more than she did. Number one on the list reads, “Stop looking forward to (or worrying about) tomorrow and live fully in the present. Wherever you are, be all there.” I am quickly learning that these moments are to be treasured, and they are fleeting. If I choose to look ahead or behind, I will miss the sunsets painted over the bell tower and the smile from Mr. Rick as I leave the DH.
So, I will choose to cherish. I will choose walks around the lake over afternoon naps (although some days, naps will just be necessary). I will choose late night chats over finishing those last few pages of reading. I will choose to be thankful for each moment of this one wild and precious life.