By: Ahkeelah Robinson
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord; “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11
In 2019, I came to Sheridan without a vision board or set goals that I aimed to achieve. Hard to believe - but it’s true! I enrolled with a simple objective; to succeed academically and graduate. I wasn’t aiming to make friends, actively participate in clubs or events or to continue the hobbies, passions and interests I pursued in high school. Then again, I knew not what was planned for me because I walk by faith and not by sight.
Change steered my boat and I trusted its direction. If an opportunity presented itself at the right time, I took it. If help knocked on my door, I welcomed it. I genuinely believe that it was not by fate but by my faith in God that caused all the above to occur. Furthermore, it was also about perspective; life isn’t easy, and it tends to throw lemons at you. You have to decide whether you’re going to take it as it is or make lemonade!
I chose lemonade because of one very empowering bond God blessed me with during my first semester at Sheridan. This bond, though recent, has such deep roots and beautiful fruits. I am grateful for this bond/friendship because it reminded me of the importance of goals; it fueled my motivation to achieve them, gave direction to some opportunities, and provided assistance even when I never asked for it. It reminded me of the importance of social interaction outside of work. It was her friendship that reminded me of my other passions besides law and pushed me to continue it. She reminded me of who I was, what I love, how I want to be and who I want to be when I make it to the end. All in all, she brought happiness and comfort in abundance; a true definition of all-in-one.
Having her in my corner has benefited me not only mentally and emotionally but also academically and futuristically. She has taught me so much in such a short period and has set quite good examples for me to emulate. She was and still is all I need during my tenure at Sheridan and beyond. I can honestly say that if God had not sent her my way, especially at the time that he did, my story of at Sheridan would not only have been missing a title, but also a body.
Having goals are necessary. However, ensure you’re walking by faith and not by sight, make sure your perspective remains positive and that the person or people you surround yourself with during your tenure at Sheridan will uplift you, and bring out the better version of you. Just in case you’re like me, or were like me in my initial stage at Sheridan, social interaction and pursuing your passions and hobbies is just as important as succeeding academically and graduating.
In a time of incredible change, we are all experiencing this monumental shift together. With a global pandemic, the transition into online schooling and so much more, members of the Sheridan community have become chameleons to welcoming change into their daily routines.
But not every situation starts and ends so easily. There are hardships, challenges and struggles that we experience to come out successfully on the other side. In this blog series, students, Sheridan Alumni, and members of our Sheridan community will share their stories of resilience and how they were able to overcome these obstacles.
The obstacles will vary from physical, emotional and mental, and our hope is that there will be something for everyone to read and grow from.