Comparison is the thief of joy.

If someone were to ask me on the street what my worst quality was, I would say my tendency to compare myself to others. I'm a pretty type-A, driven person. Yet I can't help but compare my accomplishments and progress (or lack thereof) to others'.

But isn't this an integral human flaw? It's far more rare to find someone who is completely sure of themselves than to find someone who is self-conscious. Self-consciousness is almost a pre-requisite to function in society today--we have grown to distrust or even inherently dislike those who display too much confidence. 

And why? Shouldn't we be applauding those who have come to embrace their flaws and focus on their accomplishments? Or are we too proud to give our peers a pat on the back?

Sometimes we need to take a step back and remind ourselves that we don't have to be doing what everyone else is doing. While we may be the same age as someone else, we are in entirely different circumstances. We all have overcome different hardships. We have endured both setbacks and successes. 

It's easy to say, "Stop comparing yourself to others." I am not a preacher (and if I was, I would be preaching more to myself than to anyone). Yet little reminders can never hurt. 

Comparison is our main tool of measurement as humans. We've been taught to compare and contrast since we opened our eyes. We compare prices, sizes of watermelons and great works of literature. It's only natural that we compare ourselves to others. 

A certain quote comes to my mind whenever I find myself dwelling too much on my insecurities: "Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle."

Everyone has different goals, expectations, hopes and dreams. I realize that I may not meet my goals as quickly as someone else. Yet that doesn't make that goal, or me, any more insignificant than that person. There are so many delicate details that allow one to reach their goals, or even a bit of happiness, that we can't even begin to compare ourselves to others. 

It's simply unfair. 

College is a breeding ground for comparison-making. I have so often felt the tinge of insecurity when I hear that someone has completed a paper far earlier than me or when someone else has scored their dream internship. 

College has taught me you can't always be first in your class; you won't always be the first-choice candidate for the job; and you won't be invited to every party. College has taught me that it's okay if you're not always first. 

The struggle is what gives us strength. 

Fight the urge to compare yourself to others. With a little hard work, we'll all get there in due time.

The expiration date.

There's nothing quite like the holiday season. The commercialization of it all urges us to think about Christmas in July and transforms Black Friday into Grey Thursday. There is the stress of whether UPS and FedEx will hold up their promises to deliver your family's gifts on time (but to remember that those drivers have families too). Family dinners and holiday parties with people you haven't seen in years hold the promise of awkward encounters and forced conversations. 

Yet there is something magical about this time of year. I'm sure that will all change once I enter the working world and that thing called "winter break" ceases to exist. There will no longer be as much time to dwell on the most minute details of the holiday season. 

There will no longer be as much time to spend with family and friends. Somehow, I'm not afraid--perhaps the greatest lesson I've learned in the past few years is to cherish the time that you do have. 

I consider myself lucky. I'm so lucky my parents gave me the opportunity to go to school 3,000 miles from home--possibly the furthest I could go away without leaving the country. I'm lucky to have them welcome me back every winter and summer break with arms that have been longing for one more hug. I'm lucky that despite the fact that I spend three-quarters of each year away from home, that it has only made me appreciate it more. 

Some people say that they couldn't ever leave home, that they couldn't ever imagine living farther than a two minute drive away from their boyfriend. 

Yes, the distance is heartbreaking. It tears at every fiber of your being, consumes your every thought until you feel numb. You must summon every last bit of strength you have to turn away and take that first step towards that train or airplane that separates you from the ones you love. 

You feel empty. You feel alone. In that moment, you've never been so alone in your entire life.

Yet there's always the promise of tomorrow. There's so much to look forward to in this great life we lead; there's so much life left to live. 

The distance and the goodbyes it requires may cause some of the worst pain I have ever felt. But it has also granted me the greatest happiness. I can't begin to describe what it feels like to be jerked back into my seat once the plane touches down on the tarmac, how loudly my heart beats as I walk towards the arrivals gate. 

That first embrace, that first kiss after almost four months is the greatest gift I could ever ask for. My holiday season is no longer about comparing Christmas gifts or counting party invitations--it's about cherishing the time that I have with the ones that I love. 

For now, that time does have an expiration date. It must always come to an end. I don't know if that will change once graduation day comes, but one thing is sure--I don't have to know. 

All that I know is that in this moment, I am choosing to live. I am choosing to appreciate this moment in my life for what it is. 

There really is nothing quite like being home for the holidays.