Henry Kean

elon, nc

When I hear the word “Give’r”, my brain is flooded with many different thoughts and images.  It means having no reservations, looking back on experiences in my life and feeling no regrets, knowing that while life may be short, I got the most out of it. Not only making my own life better, but also the lives of those around me.

This past summer I was speaking with a friend of mine, who had recently been going through a time of personal hardship. Though his life was being filled with challenges and sad times, he still had the most positive and upbeat disposition. He mentioned that though he may have come across some hard times, it was important to take them in stride, focus on the positives and not let obstacles that fall across the path get in the way of your journey. This to me is what Give’r means: you take what life has to throw at you and you learn from it, making yourself a better person in the process. Instead of stopping when you hit a roadblock, you find a way around it and see it as another story from life's journey to tell your friends.

Being a college student, in a world where employment opportunities are scarce and the world has growing expectations that seem exceedingly difficult to reach, being able to Give’r has become a necessity to young adults. Being able to Give’r means not being afraid to stand out in the crowd and be the exception, reaching out your hand to help and inspire others along the way.