College students pass each other every day without knowing the untold stories that lie beneath the surface. Courage can be unlocked in many different aspects of life. Whether it’s standing up for what you believe, pushing social norms, persevering through personal troubles, or just having the courage to wake up in the morning, Missouri State University students share their stories.
Dylan Crick (Junior), an advocate for exercising his First Amendment rights and speaking out about his faith, shows his courage by diving into the importance of having difficult conversations.
“People were talking about how they didn’t believe in God and I think it’s important to ask those questions…they’re hard conversations but I think they’re important to have,” Crick said.
Reaching out of the social norms can be a very nerve-racking experience. Personal beliefs crash against eachother and things can get heated very quickly. Gillian Warner (Senior) said she had to endure a difficult time while she was in highschool and continue to spread love instead of hate.
“There was a big controversy because the Gay Straight Alliance put us this pride flag that was pretty harshly torn down by someone. It was a clearly hate-filled act,” Warner said. “I think for me and everyone else at that time [it was important] to remind the community that even though this happened, you’re loved, you’re cared for.”
In times of hardship, it is easy to lose sight of the future and find a way out of the darkness. Kai Hallmark (Senior) had the courage and strength to rise out of a mental health rut without proper support.
“My grades started to dip and I stopped going to class. I really thought that I wasn’t gonna get anywhere,” Hallmark said. ” I want to say that I had the support of people around me and adults I could trust, but I didn’t. It ended up being that I had to be the one to step up and do the work to pull myself out of it.”
From the silent struggles of mental health to the most commonly recognized obstacles, MSU football player, Ronnel Johnson (Junior) shows courage everyday as a student athlete.
“It takes courage to get back up and continue to play knowing that you’re gonna get hit again,” Johnson said. “You’re gonna get beat, you’re gonna get punched in the mouth. But you come back and keep fighting.”
The uncertainty of the future can be an overwhelming thought. However, students continue to step boldly into their next chapter despite the internal battles they have faced. Courage is not just a trait used to describe a person, but a muscle that can be grown and strengthened with every challenge.
