It’s that time of year!

With the holiday season behind us, the New Year brings the time for re-evaluating the past year and coming up with resolutions.

This year, according to ABC News, the top five resolutions were:

1. Enjoy life to the fullest
2. Live a healthier lifestyle
3. Lose weight
4. Spend more time with family and friends
5. Save more, spend less

Every year, I always come up with the same ones, hoping that the next year will be better than the last. And, every year, I always come short.

Preach, John, preach.

Spending New Year’s 2015 in Los Angeles, the one resolution I had was to figure out what I wanted in life. I was stuck in a dead-end job, unhappy, lonely and desperate for a new change of pace.

Fast-forward to this year, and, for the first time, I actually fulfilled my resolution!

I took that leap of faith and applied to Columbia, got in and now I’m here, fresh off my first full semester of the Journalism, MA program. While it was often difficult, stressful and challenging, it was also incredible. I met some of the most amazing people, learned an incredible amount of new information and already feel like I’m on the path to finally getting what I want out of life.

While it might sound like a broken record, I know that this path started as soon as I submitted my application. I felt like I finally put my money where my mouth is and faced my fears of failure. Rejection was what scared the most about applying and always stopped me from trying. Getting that acceptance letter was the catalyst for this new journey, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

With most of you knee-deep in your application, I know there are some that are just like I was, staring at the screen, wondering if you can get through it. Trust me: The hardest part is getting through and submitting it. After that, you just have to breathe and trust the process. I did and I’ve never been happier!

Even though the priority deadline has passed, applications are still being accepted on a rolling basis. So, get to it! The sooner you do, the sooner you can become a member of the Columbia family!

You can do it!