Morgan McGonigle

No matter how old you are, or for how long you know someone, every single person you encounter in your life will have some sort of impact on you. Whether you know a person for a lifetime, or for an hour, any amount of time can leave even the slightest impact on your life, and who you become. Whether or not you want to realize it, you are who you are because of the people and the places that have surrounded you during your lifetime. While every person does make an impact, at the same time you never know how long he or she will be in your life, therefore you should never take your time with a person for granted. All throughout my life, my dad’s side of the family has been extremely close as my dad is one of eight children. I loved spending time with all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents so much but I also took advantage of this time that I was lucky enough to spend with them. When I was a freshman in high school, I was pulled out of school to find out that one of my dad’s brothers had suddenly passed away. This came as such a shock as I had just seen him the week before at a football game. This sudden death simply reinforces the fact that time is a precious thing, and the time and experiences you get to share with people should be treasured. I am so thankful for the time and memories that I was fortunate enough to spend with my uncle, and he truly has influenced who I am today, even though he has not been present these past four years. His sudden death has made me treasure each day with my family and friends because it is true that you never know what tomorrow will bring. As my first semester at the University of Georgia is coming to a close, I am quickly realizing how fast my time here has already passed by. I have been so fortunate to meet so many awesome people, and I have been opened up to so many new things and types of people that I never thought I would get to know. I cannot wait to see what other experiences and people that I will come across in my time here at the University of Georgia and how they will impact my life.