If you ask any one of my high school classmates, they will probably say that I did everything in high school. It’s true; I was in 18 school activities, including five Academic University Interscholastic League events while still staying in the top 10 percent of my class.

Looking back, high school was one of the greatest accomplishments I have to my name so far, and it’s incredible to see other successful people who have experienced something similar walking across campus and wearing the same school name across their chest.

We all have our success stories, and we’ve each been given the opportunity to expand our success by attending Baylor University. However, living up to the expectations that have been set before us is a lot easier said than done.

I’ve burned myself out numerous times trying to outdo myself and exceed expectations in everything I do, and it hasn’t always turned out well. I would like to be the absolute best at everything I do, but frankly that’s not possible.

I couldn’t be the best at track because I simply didn’t have the time to commit to it, so I was forced to sit down and decide whether I wanted to continue with it. Instead, I joined the yearbook staff where I ended up serving as editor-in-chief for my junior and senior years.

Setting a high bar for all of your work is a double-edged sword. It’s great to have goals and strive for a certain standard, but if the standard is too high, you might exhaust yourself getting there or suffer disappointment if you don’t.

It’s time for people to put their goals into perspective. We set our own standards, therefore it’s up to us on determining whether or not the goals are reachable. It’s not probable for me to write an entire feature story in one hour. From experience, it would be foolish and stressful. I know my abilities, so it’s up to me to set reachable goals.

And if I fail, who cares? We are not perfect. God didn’t make us to be perfect. We all have flaws that make us unique, and so perfection should never be the end goal. It goes back to setting goals: Do what is possible.

Failing at tasks in life shouldn’t always be taken so harshly. Life is a learning process, and if we don’t make mistakes, then when will we ever learn? Many times I set a goal of completing a project or homework assignment by a specific time or deadline, and I didn’t get it done.

I had to give up other time I could have spent relaxing or watching “Friday Night Lights” if I had stuck to my deadline, so that thought came across my mind the next time I wanted to procrastinate and put off school work. Learn from life; it makes things a lot more beneficial.

I may not be in 18 school activities at Baylor, but I know I am spending my time wisely. My biggest accomplishments on campus have not reached their peak yet, so it’s all up to me to be patient and set reasonable goals to get there.

Cody Soto is a sophomore journalism major from Poth. He is a sports writer and regular columnist for the Lariat.