College, as fate would have it, is very surprising. Yes, I know, that statement in and of itself is not very surprising, but it stands very true.
Everyone, myself included, thinks they’re going into this new and exciting journey with a plan. Step by step, every little detail is planned out to a tee, and anything outside of said plan is downright unspeakable. Any nuisance, misstep or breach of protocol is reason to trigger the alarm and panic like the world is about to be struck by a meteor the size of Texas. Yet those plans very seldom go exactly to plan.
Take me for instance. Did I become the ultra popular, aces classes with ease, walks with the confidence of one hundred famous individuals, absolutely perfect, put-together human being I wanted to restart as and become?
No.
No, I did not.
In fact, I probably went the other way on the spectrum. I found a few solid friends and called it quits on socializing, because that’s exhausting. I’m managing my classes, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a daily freakout over the tidal wave of work and due dates coming at me faster than I can scream in terror. I walk solely hoping I make it up the next mountainous hill, and that my lungs don’t collapse. I am far from perfect. Put-together makes me do a spit take.
But that’s not what’s surprising. No what’s surprising, is that sometimes surprises can be a really good thing. Sometimes not meeting expectations, actually results in something completely better. I found only a small group, but I’d much rather have a small group of close friends I can trust with anything, than a million acquaintances who I don’t know the first thing about. I may freak out over my classes, but my planner is proof that I can freaking rock the planning ahead aspect of college. And walking up mountains, I’m sure you can all agree, is giving me amazing calves.
Surprises happen. That doesn’t always equal a bad thing.
Take America’s Got Talent: a show filled to the brim with weirdos, crazies and of course, stars in the making. It has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, specifically a show that I always watch with my two younger sisters. I say guilty pleasure, because as much as I get invested, as much as I do enjoy watching the show, I’ve always held the view that it is most certainly rigged, and perhaps at times, staged.
The show really likes to latch onto stories rather than actual talent, and the story or character they find the most appealing is the one the producers push for in all forms of mass media, since their audition up until the day they’re announced as the next million dollar winner.
And they set up since the start, that this year’s example of that would-be Courtney Hadwin: the supposed next Janis Joplin, who quite frankly, made my ear cringe with her screeches, and my very soul hurt with her oh-so-fake “shy girl” act. When, in actuality, she has already been exposed to this environment: Prior to her time on AGT she finished in the semi-finals on the UK’s The Voice: Kids.
Many others on social media agreed with my distaste for her, yet there were still sites online with the literal headline of “How to vote for Courtney Hadwin.”
However, after two previous years of young singers winning because the show willed it so America’s Got Talent surprised me. Courtney Hadwin didn’t even make the top five come the finale. My sister cracked up as I jumped in excitement. It just seemed fair for once.
How could this be? The performer who had been pushed to win since day one, didn't even make it to the top of the top? I didn’t even have to bite my nails in anticipation, tug at my hair in outright dread of another disappointing year, another winner that doesn’t deserve it? It was absolutely astounding to my very way of thinking.
Shin Lim took it all this season, becoming the second magician to ever win the show.
It was, simply put, a life changing night and moment for me. It showed me that maybe there is hope for humanity. Maybe there is hope for this country (in terms of voting). Maybe, just maybe, surprises can happen.
And those surprises can be surprisingly amazing.
Jackson Horvat is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Jackson by tweeting him at @horvatjackson.
