Okay, guys. Real talk. College is hard. Whoever told you college would be the “best years of your life” was either failing all of their classes or had a “zero cares” personality. For the majority of us who get little sleep, stay busy with extracurricular activities and strive for academic excellence, college can be a tiring place.
Fun? Yes. Rewarding? Yes. But, a piece of cake? No.
It’s at this point in the semester that I have to sit myself down and remind myself that despite the trials and tribulations of college, my future is empty.
You read that right.
Empty.
Without college, my future would hold the reality of only one or two possible outcomes. Without an education, my career options would be limited. Although some do make it in the world without a degree (and some quite successfully, I might add), I can’t help but reflect on the incredible benefits that college has personally given me.
Thanks to the university I have immersed myself into, my future is empty. It holds no boundaries, no set-in-stone path and no requirements.
Over the years of new beginnings and fresh starts, I have learned the importance of paving a new road for my life. Yes, this can be scary, but some of my greatest accomplishments began with taking the first step.
Through countless hours in the library and more than a few accidentally missed deadlines, I have learned the importance of committing to the job and never giving up. In the real world, the days will be a little less 2 a.m. cram sessions and more 9-5 routines, but the reward of hard work will continue to satisfy.
After losing friends in college because of differences and distance, I have learned that the true value of relationships becomes clear when people stick around. Friends worth having will pick you up and guide you along your way from across the table or 100 miles away.
By leaving home and enrolling in a major that I knew almost nothing about, I have learned to trust myself and push myself out of my comfort zone. Because of college, my future is wide open. I could move to a new country. Start my own business. Raise a family and go back to school. Teach others. Make an impact. I have the choice to make the future how I want it.
So, while I do have a loose plan of where I will end up after walking across the graduation stage, the next few years of my life could be a whirlwind of change that I never expected, and that is okay.
College isn’t for everyone. But, if you’re looking for a reason to stay, you might imagine a future without it. I’m learning to live with the idea that an empty future means endless possibilities.