Running on Your Own Timeline

One of the worst parts of college is how quickly you can convince yourself that everyone else is miles ahead. Some days it feels like every person you know is posting their once-in-a-lifetime summer internship on LinkedIn. It’s a humbling experience, and I don’t think anyone enjoys the feeling. 

Comparison is almost automatic. The problem is that this instinct usually shows up at the worst possible times, especially when you’re already stressed or exhausted. Then everything feels like evidence that you’re falling behind.

I’ve had plenty of moments where I convince myself that I’m somehow late to my own life. Half the time this feeling has nothing to do with what’s actually happening. It’s more about the pressure we quietly put on ourselves to seem put together. Social media doesn’t help. Everyone’s feed looks fast, impressive, and aesthetically curated.

What helps is remembering that people grow at different speeds. Some students land their dream job straight out of school. Others figure out what they want later, once they’ve lived enough life to actually know themselves. Some people date someone great early on. Others take time to recognize what healthy love looks like. None of this means anyone is ahead or behind. It just means we’re all running on different timelines, and that is okay. 

If you’re stuck in the mindset that you’re slow or late, take a second to notice the parts of your life that actually feel good right now. The habits you’ve built, the things you’ve gotten better at, the calmer way you handle situations that used to overwhelm you. Those things are easy to ignore because they feel small, but they’re usually the things that matter most.

Feeling behind rarely means anything is wrong. It usually means you’re paying attention to everyone except yourself. Once you shift the focus back to your own goals, everything feels more grounded. You stop treating your life like a race you didn’t sign up for. And honestly, most people aren’t running as fast as they look online. Some of them are just jogging with better story highlights.

• anxiety
• college
• feeling behind
• future