Alex Frank.
Photography by Oviya Dass
If you're reading this, keep pushing forward.
My favorite word is tenacity.
Tenacity is defined as unshakable focus and drive in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, persistent forward momentum with a well-thought-out plan of action. To never stop trying to achieve a goal, even when all seems lost.
There have been times in my life when the road ahead seemed impossible, when giving up felt like the best choice. My whole life, I have dealt with not feeling like enough. Whether it was not being as good as my friends at sports, not believing that I was good enough at school, or always feeling like I was everyone's second choice, I always felt like I wasn’t good enough, and it often made me want to quit.
When I first got to Virginia Tech, I wanted to quit. No one in my family had gone to college, and it felt like foreign territory that I wasn’t prepared for. I found it hard to build relationships that felt as meaningful as my friendships from home. I missed my family every day. Classes were hard, and I found myself struggling to make good grades. Everyone I met seemed to be doing so well - they already had friends from home, new friends they’d made here, or parents who went to Tech and brought them to Hokie games their whole lives. I felt out of place and so unprepared compared to everyone else. Nearly every day, I called my mom, telling her I wanted to quit, that I wanted to pack up my things and come home, that maybe college wasn’t for me.
My mom would always say, “Look at your arm. Read the words. Just keep pushing forward.” She was talking about the quote I had tattooed on my arm during my senior year of high school.
The words read,
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”
These words have gotten me through some hard times in my life. When things felt hard, when they felt scary, when my anxiety told me I wasn’t good enough or shouldn’t try something new, I looked at my arm and read those words over and over. Because what would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? People always joke after reading my tattoo and say, “Not much,” but they’re right. Our lives wouldn’t be as exciting, interesting, or worthwhile if we didn’t dare to attempt something new.
What would my life have been like without that courage?
Would I have the great circle of friends I have now? Would I have the great memories of trips with those friends, of gamedays in Lane, and the funny stories from weekend adventures? Would I be a part of the German Club? The Student Senate? Would I have ever run a marathon or decided to go to law school? Would I have done and seen all the amazing things I've had the opportunity to?
Having the courage to put myself out there and knowing that none of these amazing things could have happened without continuing to push forward, even when it felt impossible, is the reason I am writing to you today.
Sometimes, life is supposed to be hard. There are supposed to be moments when you feel like you can’t do it or when the next steps feel impossible, but that’s what makes it so beautiful. I love a good quote, so here’s another one for you:
“May the flowers remind us why the rain is necessary.” – Xan Oku
So be tenacious. When the road gets hard, tell yourself that nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. Every one of you reading this is special. You are worth it, you are strong, and the world is a better place with you in it. Don’t let the anxiety, the hardships, or the fear win. Continue to push through, continue to climb the mountain, because the view is beautiful. Think about what your life would be like if you had that courage.
Keep Climbing.
Alex F., Virginia Tech
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at Virginia Tech on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to Virginia Tech students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
AUTHOR CONTACT
This author has opted to allow readers who resonate with their story to contact them. If you would like to speak to the author of this letter about their experience, please use the form below.
