I’ve always liked to have a plan for everything. I love the idea of a spontaneous trip, but it also takes everything in me to go through with it. I always thought it was weird to like to have things planned out, but of course, I’m not the only one in the world that likes to do this. It can get so bad that if something doesn’t go according to plan, I break down. I’ve always been like this, I like having a schedule, a routine… a plan. But now as more years have passed I’ve realized that my best memories have been unplanned. Not going according to plan and going through the unknown is so scary. A last-minute change with school, work, friends, anything, is not a bad thing.
Every time I moved, I thought it was the end of the world. I thought I wouldn’t make any friends, I wouldn’t fit in with the girls on the sports team, I just wouldn’t belong. Now at 20 years old, I realize that all of those moves were the best thing for me. I made new friends every time and experienced new things. And some of the friendships have lasted 14 years, others 8 and some of the best, less than 2 years. A last-minute change should be exciting and thrilling, not scary and appalling.
My plan was always to become a doctor and go to a big school in Florida, but that definitely didn’t go according to plan. I ended up going to community college for 2 years and then transferring to USF. And in my first semester of college, I decided to change my major from pre-med to psychology. Those were the best changes to have happened. I saved so much money going to a community college and the classes weren’t as hard. I was so relieved after switching my major. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was finally going to do what I really wanted, not what I thought I wanted.
Now, being at USF has been the best experience and I am so happy to have transferred here. I have met the best people and the advisors have been the most helpful people. I found an internship my first semester, was able to join HerCampus, and now I start packing to study abroad in Florence. If I had stuck to the plan and refused the change of what is now my college experience I don’t know where I would be right now. Maybe I would still be pursuing a pre-med degree. No one knows. All I know is that I embraced the change and instead of being scared, I’m so happy and grateful.