Emissary of Success

       Seeing as how my blog is starting to read like chemistry propaganda I’ve decided to not mention chemistry in this post. I will not talk about how the Nobel prize in chemistry this year went to organic chemist for “palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis”, or how chemistry anagrams to “cry me this”. Instead, I’d like to talk about representing your up bringing.

       I’ve been thinking no matter were you go you’re always representing the people that got you there and the places you come from; whether it is representing your family on your first day of school, or representing your neighborhood, race or country. I often wonder if what people represent is indicative of there success, or if representing anything means success.

       Over the years I’ve come to represent more and more things. In elementary school I represented my moms parenting skills and ability to provide, In addition to that representation in middle school I represented my elementary school (its value and its teacher’s ability). In high school since it was in Manhattan and more diverse, in addition to the former, I represented, my middle school, Brooklyn, and blacks. This cyclic escalating representation has followed me to college where I feel like I am constantly representing something greater than myself.

       I also know that I represent different things when I’m around different people or in different places. In the halls of Snygg I represent Blacks, chemistry majors, Brooklyn, my previous schools and my mom. In the lab I represent blacks, sophomores, previous lab instructors, any one who gave me a recommendation, my previous schools and my mom. In Brooklyn I represent Oswego, college students, the schools in the community and of course my mom. In plain there is always some part of you that is represented no matter where you go.

       I wondered whether these things we represent are a crutch, holding us back because people who represent much of the same thing we do haven’t succeed or do what we like, or if it could be helpful. I thought about first generation students to this country and how across the board they seem to, on average, best natives in academia. So I thought what makes them succeed? They, like us, were ambassadors to their particular niche, but they have something to prove. They are fully aware they represent something everyday and they need to prove its worth to themselves and every one else. This awareness allows them to become more than just representatives but emissaries, on a mission to make their represent-ees proud.

       I can also attribute much of the success I’ve had to being an emissary. I normally wake up with two things in mind how I will get closer to my purpose in life, and how will I prove myself today. I think of what I represent as a badge of honor not something weighing me down, because it will show others who can relate to me on any level that someone like me can go the distance and endure.

       I believe everyone should become an emissary of success, and embrace who they are and were there from; regardless of gender, race, social class, nationality, or religion. We don’t live in a classless, race-less, genderless world; and we shouldn’t pretend we do. What we should do is think about what we represent every day, when were tired, or want to give up and think about the lives we’ll touch if we try a little harder every day, if we get through our personal hurdles, and if we do this with our heads held high. It doesn’t matter what you represent, all that matters is the courage and tenacity in which you represent it.