I work at ASU – Three Rivers in Student Affairs. I operate primarily as a tutor for students of mathematics and English composition. I have been accepted to a graduate program at UALR, and I have just received confirmation that I have been hired as a graduate assistant in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, provided no unforeseen hindrances. I have further plans for myself in the coming years, but nothing is in motion in that regard, aside from my writing.

Additionally, I have been enjoying the psychological benefits of the following behavioral and mental changes, in no particular order: I’ve started acting in accordance with my values and personal ethics (primarily aligned with the relative ethics of our society); I’ve dedicated substantial effort to becoming more analytical and empathetic; I’ve accepted responsibility for my future, both immediate and long-term; and I’ve accepted responsibility for my prior transgressions and forgiven myself for committing such regrettable acts (nothing ultimately unforgivable or illegal, just FYI). To that point, if you feel as though I may have transgressed against you, consider this my sincere apology, and believe that I am both aware of my flawed past and actively trying to do better.

I am incredibly proud of the changes I’ve made and the consequences thereof, and I am proud of my efforts to establish a meaningul future for myself and the community around me. I have been attempting to uphold the promise that each person with whom I interact will receive the full attention of the best version of me – by my standards, that is. I cannot possibly appeal to everyone while also being authentic.

I am not ashamed to admit that this sense of self-actualization has only been realized somewhat recently, i.e. within the last 24 months at most. With that being said, I do hope that others are or have been able to achieve this earlier than I, for without that sense of living a positively meaningful life, I struggled for quite some time. I have been known to possess many relatively virtuous qualities, but I did not know the end to which I should strive to apply these virtues. Therefore, I was fixed in that unassured state, unsure of how to utilize my skills, knowledge, emotions etc. in order to achieve a meaningful goal, and I was ultimately plagued by anxiety and depression. The journey to this profound discovery was not without fear, nor was the traversal easy or passive. However, I have been able to overcome the difficulties, and I believe that we all can do so. After all, I am not special. I am unique, both genetically and experientially. However, I am not so rare that only I could possess this sense of assurance, nor are you likely so rare that you could not possibly possess such a sense. If you already possess such a sense of assurance, then I suppose this is at least a great demonstration of why “you” is not an appropriate word to use in formal writing. *nervous but super charming laugh*

So, good luck to you, my equal. I hope you either learn a meaningful thing-or-two from my existence or regard my personal endeavors without judgment, despite their comparatively naive nature.