At Lakeland, preparation is a constant theme in our classes, assignments and group work.

The courage we muster up before doing something comes from our pre-established skills in these moments of preparation.

Courage might stem from the preparation invested for a big event, challenge or even a lengthy conversation. Normally, we practice or study to perform well. Still, maybe the executions of our practiced skills are dependent upon our willingness to be courageous.

In this recognition, the courage to say what we are honestly thinking is a part of how we prepare. For instance, if we rehearse a presentation multiple times, then we might be convinced our delivery is guaranteed to go swimmingly.

However, the courage we maintain while we are delivering the presentation could be more important than the time we spent preparing.

Courage, therefore, is the ability to sigh, gulp, then mentally say to yourself, “I am doing this” as you rise out of that cold seat in a room in Old Main, ready to deliver your presentation.

A more casual way to think of courage could simply be doing whatever is required of us to our fullest ability.

New York Times bestselling inspirational author, H. Jackson Brown, Jr., said, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”

With this in mind, courage might be the core part of our preparation process.

As the semester is coming to a close, courage is a concept that might flutter its way through our thoughts as we look to the spring semester or, for some students, to life after college.

Finding how courage is a part of our lives, and recognizing its usefulness, could be the life-changing impact needed as we set out to undertake these new experiences ahead.