Ah, spring is in the air. The trees are budding and the flowers are blooming even in New England. It is the time of year where college students turn their attention to love, summer prospects and wait, textbooks?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed that time of year again. While the poets may be correct about the glory of spring, much of the poetry that college kids are reading right now is in preparation for final exams.

The end of the school year always provides for some interesting rituals for students. These include all-nighters in the library, finishing term papers while watching the sun come up and studying until your head feels like it may explode.

It is also the time of year to start wishing the departing senior class farewell. This year, it is the Class of 2010 that is currently strolling around campus with both joy and nervousness in their hearts.

For the past four years, many of us seniors have lived the typical college life. We have lived life to the fullest and had a lot of fun. Suddenly, we are confronted with the fact that our college days are almost complete. An era of time in our lives is concluding. Though we may know where we wish to go with our futures, there is still a touch of uncertainty. The view of the unforeseen future can be a scary one.

However, we should have no reason to fear. This is merely where the journey of our lives resumes. Our journey does not simply end because we are graduating from college. There is still a whole lifetime to live. For some, it is time to enter the “real world” and contribute to society. For others, the time has come to further better themselves by attending graduate school. The spotlight has been thrust upon us, and it is time for us to shine and contribute to making this world a better place.

For the past 22 years, we have been watching as others have run the world. Now, it is our turn. It is our time to leave a mark on this world. We are fully capable of this task. Every single one of us is ready. We are the next generation that will be handed the reins to this ever so quickly changing world. The time has come for us to show the world that we are fully capable of leaving this world a better place than when we were born into it.

Now is the time in our lives where we must realize that we are not just another face in the crowd. We are all unique individuals that can change the world in some way. For most of us, the way in which we affect the world will be small. However, we must remember that the world only changes in small steps. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Many of us will move on to the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs. Some will become scholars. Some will become writers. Others will go on to be humanitarians, doctors or members of the armed forces. Some are future teachers, while others are still future athletes.

Regardless of our backgrounds and our ambitions, we are all capable of making this world a better place. All we need to do is believe in ourselves. We need to continue living with an open mind and an open heart.

Earlier this semester, I had a guest speaker in one of my classes. This man’s name was Vaughn Williams. I wasn’t expecting much of a speech; it was 8 a.m. after all. The speech that I heard Mr. Williams give that morning was one of the best I had ever heard. It made sense, not only in the field in which my class was, but in life as well.

Part of what Mr. Williams stated that morning was, in life, there is motivation and influence. One can’t motivate another person to do or be something, he stated. Rather, we inspire others and are inspired by others. The motivation has to come from within.

As I think of Mr. Williams’ message, I think of what it means to those of us who will be graduating so soon. We have been given the strength to help change history and the world through the tools of education. However, in order to make the change we wish to see happen, we must be motivated to be that change. Only then will we be able to put to work the ideas that have inspired us and have the power to inspire others. As I look at not only the Class of 2010, but our generation as a whole, I believe that we are ready to take part in this history shaping process.

So, as we celebrate all that we have accomplished thus far, let us keep in the back of our minds that the journey has only just begun. Let us utilize the skills that we have so carefully crafted in our time here at the University of Massachusetts and make our predecessors proud. Let us assure them that the help that they will be receiving from our ranks is not the help that will drag the effort to better this world down but will the kind of help that raises our country and our world to new unimaginable heights. Let us prove that our time is now.

Matt Kushi can be reached at [email protected].