"It's your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you." -Rumi
This quote by 13th-century Muslim poet, Rumi, strikes me as very apropos as we're in the midst of exams, papers and projects. At first, the quote seems a bit jarring because it implies an essential loneliness or isolation as we trudge through our work and responsibilities. But upon reflection, I think it actually reads as empowering because we can explore and exert our agency as we walk our road. That doesn't mean that we are not blessed with travel companions, in the form of family, friends or mentors, who walk alongside us, but it means that we must essentially walk it ourselves because it is literally *your* road. This allows us to discover and uncover deeper truths about ourselves, and as the road progresses, so do we. We develop our intellectual, emotional and spiritual capabilities on the roads we traverse. So rather than provoking anxiety, our road can inspire us to become our best selves. And remember: it is a long road (hopefully), and so pace yourself. Your Yale years may seem overwhelming at times, but remind yourself that they can also be tremendously rewarding years of self-reflection and self-development.