It may be cliche to bring attention to life’s miniscule details that permanently influence the bigger picture, but it’s as close to factual as a well calculated equation.

As college students, any decisions made can produce a chain reaction that changes the course of one’s life, although at the time, these choices may be purely situational. A majority of us have experienced this, and by the time that we have a second to reflect on how the recent events in our lives have transpired, it’s not uncommon to think “Damn, I’ve become a completely different person over the course of six months.” 

Six months may not seem like a daunting amount of time, given the average lifespan in the United States is 78.4 years. In college, six months is enough time to meet a group of people that completely reconstructs our entire perspective. Six months is also enough time to watch a formerly tight-knit clique disintegrate, leaving every member bitter that what was once the present is now the past. The effects of such situations can last a lifetime, or can be altered by other experiences to come. 

The serendipitous nature of an encounter with a stranger is an enigmatic and intangible coincidence, and is either a product of remarkable fate or luck. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a few people who have single-handedly changed my life for the better (and/or worse). These junctures are often based on having far too much in common with one another, with both parties in a strangely compatible place. They are often short lived, but the memory of the mishap is often as influential as being beat up by your cousin’s friends as a child.

Being in a state of constant change can provoke a great deal of frustration due to lack of solidarity and stability. I guess that’s why society’s standard of maturity is called “settling down.” It often seems that everything is in constant motion. Stopping to catch a breath is nearly impossible. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that many suffer from “Atlas Syndrome,” where they feel that the weight of the world is on their shoulders. While they are aware of their potential, they know that it’s far from realized, which can yield moderate to severe depression. The important fact to keep in consideration is how quickly things can change, leaving miles between the present and the past.

The details that form life’s portrait are what counts. Conceptually similar to seeding, an event that may seem devastating at the time can ultimately result in several outcomes, positive and negative. These events alter the direction of our respective paths.

Accepting change is one of the most important traits we can develop. This is a sign of maturity, and will come to life through our interactions with others so even when the going gets tough, we can only count on ourselves to whether the stormy weather and make the details count while painting the bigger picture. But it’s going to take a very, very long time.