Yes, growing up is fun. Lots of fun. But at some point, it also starts to become a scary topic. At what point in your life are you supposed to have everything planned out? Do things even need to be planned or will everything just fall into place? As the fall semester on my junior year begins to wind down and I realize that I only have one more fall semester left, I realize that these questions are becoming more prevalent in my life, and I am completely lost looking for answers.
Most of my friends and peers have already had internships in their fields and are currently in the search for one, but I remain stuck. My feet are in a pile of quicksand and I’m sinking fast. My brain is telling me that it’s time for me to get my act together and get experience in my chosen field of study to prepare for my future, but my heart isn’t in it. I cannot get myself to finish my resume that sits on my computer or go to that career fair where there is the possibility of making numerous connections. I want to grow up in the sense of I want to be an adult, live on my way, take care of myself, and make decisions for myself based on what I solely want. But here I am, presented with my first adult situation and I don’t know where to turn.
This is where I began to think of growing up as scary. And to only make matters worse, when I came home for Thanksgiving this year, my family decided it was the perfect time to bombard me with questions about my future. But how am I supposed to tell my parents and my grandparents that maybe I don’t want to work right away after I graduate. But then I think, is that really what I want? Do I really want to waste more years doing something I’m only half-passionate about instead of beginning what is hopefully a successful and fulfilling career? Do I have the answers in my head and they’re just jumbled around? Deep down, do I seriously know what I want, or am I just making assumptions for myself?
These questions could haunt me, and anybody, as a matter of fact. But just like with most questions in life, I have to reach a conclusion. And that, right there, was my first grown-up decision. I know I could keep asking myself question after question but that wouldn’t do me or anyone around me any good.
For all of you third year students out there, please get an internship. We are more than halfway done with our studies and it’s about time that we figure out if we actually picked the right major or not. Yes, I know it is terrifying to think that we are almost done with college and we may not actually enjoy working in our field of study, but it’s important to find out. Your major does not necessarily determine exactly what kind of career you are going to have – you can major in communications and have more career options than imaginable.
The important thing to remember is not to hide from your future. The unknown can be scary, but it’s also a reminder that we can do anything we want. It’s literally a blank space that we can fill with anything we want. Maybe like me, you’re not sure if you want to start your career right after graduation. But that means that you should look into other options. You could decide that you want to teach your native language in another country. Or maybe you want to join the Peace Corps. My point is that you can literally do anything you want. There are no boundaries. So don’t be scared – the water’s warm, jump right in.
And for your family members with never-ending questions, tell them the truth. You are still young enough to the point where you can be figuring things out, but most likely, the fact that you are even thinking about your future will most likely make them happy enough. And remember, when you were about to graduate from high school, the idea of college produced the same feeling. But you conquered that and you can conquer this, too. A lot of things in life are scary, but that doesn’t mean we should run from them. Face your darkest dream without a shield to protect yourself. If you half hide from something, you’ll never see its full potential. “ Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.” So open your eyes and take your next step, and I promise, you won’t fall.