As someone who just started her junior year of college, I’ve instantly noticed a shift in how my year has been panning out. Don’t get me wrong, most of the year has been incredible; I moved into an apartment with three of my closest friends, I’m taking classes I’m genuinely interested in, I’m an active member of multiple clubs I enjoy, and generally, I do feel completely settled into college life.
But I’ve also felt more overwhelmed than I have in previous college years. I have found myself struggling to get a moment of relaxation, and I’m constantly running to and from events, classes, and meetings. I enjoy everything I’m doing, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that everything can be intense when it all piles up. The biggest thing that has been looming over my head is the daunting prospect of the future and my career path.
Now, I know I’m still young. I would definitely categorize myself as a planner, but even I cut myself some slack and know that I can’t have my entire career journey planned out to its full extent. At the end of the day, there are so many factors out of my control that I can’t predict right now. That’s a fact that I have been struggling to grapple with.
It’s hard sometimes to go to a school filled with such motivated, diligent, hardworking, and gifted students. I constantly hear about what impressive internship someone had last summer, what client they are working with currently, or what they have lined up for the future. At times, it can feel like everyone but me has their career path planned out.
The point of why I’m writing this is both for myself and for whoever is reading this and has related to the feelings I’ve described. As President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” That’s a sentence that has been ringing true in my head for months now.
I’ve learned to tell myself that other people’s successes don’t define my own, and they certainly don’t take away from everything I’ve accomplished as a person. I work hard, I have goals, I push myself, and I care about the people around me. Those things make me a successful person.
There is no one way to achieve success. Working hard is what really matters, no matter where you start or where your life takes you. There isn’t any secret or perfect timeline to figuring out your own career path. Some people know right off the bat, while others take years to find what truly gets them out of bed each day. What really counts is showing up, putting in the effort, and being willing to keep going even when things feel uncertain.
But what matters most is passion. I believe that when you truly care about what you are doing, that is what defines success. It’s so easy, especially as someone who is halfway through college and pushing toward a career, to get caught up in comparing your experiences with other people’s. You have to remember that those fancy titles and impressive roles are not what define you; loving what you’re doing and feeling proud of what you’ve accomplished is the success that really matters.
So, as I navigate through the ups and downs of the junior year career crisis, I’m making sure to take breathers and tell myself that there is no clean-cut path. Everyone’s life and experiences look different, and that’s kind of the point. As long as I continue to work hard and push myself to pursue what I love academically and professionally, that’s what matters. And that mindset has already made the future feel a little less intimidating.
All in all, if I were to give one single takeaway from this, it’s to embrace the uncertainty and spontaneity that is finding your career passions, and to remember that success looks different for everyone.
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