First things first, take a really deep breath in and then let it out. Let out some of that anxiety that’s in your chest right now. Even if you’re in a really quiet place like the library. (I promise someone will sneeze really loudly in the next few minutes that will be way more annoying than this breathing exercise.)
Feel a little bit better? Good. Now you can read my article.
When I started UNC as a first-year, there were two things that I knew for certain. One, I knew I was going to major in Political Science. Two,I knew I was going to go to Law School after I graduated. I also had some other plans about joining a bunch of clubs and getting all of my professors to give me amazing recommendations.
Fast forward two years and NONE of those things are certain to me. I’ve changed my major two or three times since my first semester of college and I only joined like one club (shout-out to CFTK.) But I also found passions that made me want to explore the world rather than commit another to three more years to higher education.
Now that I’m (somewhat) comfortable with where I am in my life/college career, it’s easy to just sit back and tell people to “go with where your heart takes you.” But believe you me, I was just as skeptical as you are. I was convinced my original plan would all work out and that I would be in D.C. working on political strategies by the time I turned 30.
So now, as a Junior, I can tell you another list of things that I know to be certain. College is hard, life is hard, and it’s okay to feel lost in it all. You don’t have to have all of life’s questions answered at 20 years old. And if you do, please let me know where you’re getting your info because I’m STILL searching!!
Because we’re at Carolina and excellence is in our blood, we’re constantly thinking about our futures and how we’ll succeed. That can be really daunting and scary when you don’t know what you want and everyone around you seems to have it all figured out. But don’t worry, because I saw something on the internet one time and it legit changed my life.
It’s this really cool chart that’s based on the Japanese concept “ikigai” which means “a reason for being.” It helps you find the crossroad between what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. And discovering your ikigai is said to bring fulfillment and happiness and help you live longer. (Um yeah sign me up!)
I know that it’s hard to follow an outline like this when you’re feeling the constant pressures of finding internships and trying to make the most of your college experience. But it’s something that honestly keeps me going. So when you get lost, and again that’s totally okay, it’ll help you find your way back to a center that is meant for you.
So as you’re navigating college and the overwhelming task of becoming an adult, remember to have fun, work hard, and enjoy yourself. Put down the books every once in a while and relax. Whether that means taking a hike through the mountains, or just binge watching rom-coms on Netflix.
Have dreams and goals. Get lost, and sometimes, just breathe. When you look back on your time at Carolina, you don’t want to remember the stress. You want to think about the good ol’ days and reminisce on why you love being a Tar Heel.