Time. Time is a very precious yet scary 'thing'. Time seems to control our whole way of functioning given it organizes our lives--defining goals, deadlines and occasions. It marks our aging and sense of progress as both individuals and a society. We don’t really realize how fast time passes because we become so entrenched in the goals at hand that we lose sight of how precious each moment truly is. We do not recognize or appreciate that once this moment passes, we will never get it back. This sense that time is precious and we need to be as efficient and successful as possible creates an anxiety that infiltrates American Culture. People’s minds and bodies are filled with this constant need to be doing something, achieving something or rushing to some place. People feel like they should graduate college by a certain age, have a specific “respectable” job, be married by their thirties and live life according to a pre-designed rubric. However, we put too much pressure on ourselves to get from point A to point B by a certain time that we miss everything in between. We end up losing sight of who we truly are or what we truly want in life. I am especially targeting the twenty-something year olds, as this is a time in our lives to discover and explore ourselves. Everyone around me, myself included, feels this pressure to already be someone and be something according to the ideals of society. It is hard to break free from these societal norms when we live and breathe them everyday. I am not saying we should all wander life free of responsibility, plans or goals, but attention should be focused on each moment and each breath we take. Acting with intention each day to our TRUE selves and personal ideals; not letting time and societal pressures control our lives. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that life never goes according to plan, so why create one set in stone? Live in the moment and learn to hear yourself. Learn to hear yourself so you can hear others better. Suggestions: Get to know YOURSELF. Know what YOU like--or be open to seeing, tasting, listening, feeling and experiencing the world around you. Have experiences so that you may learn and grow as a person. Don’t let your life be ruled by time or expectations. Take advantage of the moment, and make it yours! You never know who you might meet or what you might experience that could change your life.