Full Circle
March 17th, 2025
Photo: Amany Sayed
Writer: Brooke Edelman
Editor: Talia Kohn
Remember that once you dreamed of being where you are now. Read that again.
You are currently living your “one day”. Whether here at your dream university or on the path to your dream job, you once crossed every finger and wished upon all the stars to get here. Your dreams are slowly turning into your reality.
As a child, I was given a stuffed bear by my mom, a Michigan alumna. Muffin, named after the Michigan block M, has experienced everything from childhood to college. I’m not proud to admit that, throughout the years, Muffin has gone missing, but I can confidently say that finding him amidst my junior year of high school, was a sign. I accomplished a lot with Muffin by my side, but managed to still work towards and achieve my goals when he was absent. The fact that Muffin is back where he started 18 years later, with me in Ann Arbor feels like we’ve reached our full circle moment.
But today, I’m not here to only talk about the rainbows and butterflies of dreams coming true. Instead, I am fascinated by the idea that we are filling the circles created by earlier versions of ourselves.
When we think about what we wanna be when we grow up, our immediate thoughts often drift to careers that inspire: a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor, a dancer. After all, we had Barbie showing us that opportunities are endless. You can be anything you put your mind to.
While I wholeheartedly believe in that limitless potential, I also recognize that growing up is about more than launching a career or gaining independence - it’s about evolving from who we once were. It’s not just what you do, but how you do it. More than aspiring to excel professionally, I longed to become someone who radiates kindness, acts with integrity, and does everything from their heart. I want to make my younger self proud, knowing that everything I do is unapologetically me.
Achieving your dreams takes effort. Things may not always go exactly as planned, or it may take a little longer to get there, but one thing should always be constant: you, and how you got there.
Invisible strings, domino effects, luck, and hard work all play a part. And there are those full circle moments. The beauty in circles is their endless continuity: no beginning, no end - just a representation of unity, wholeness, and cycles. Full circle moments remind us that it isn’t solely about where we started or where we ended up; it’s about every step in between.
These moments are special because they bring together every part of our journey, showing us how far we’ve come from the dreams we once held. Even if your circle looks a bit different than you once imagined, or takes a little longer to close, appreciate the person it’s shaping you into.
Growing up may look different than what you scribbled in your childhood yearbook, but regardless you should strive to become the person you’ve always dreamed of being.
