It’s okay to not have it all planned out.
I guarantee you that you’ll be okay with wherever you end up because you’ve already made these big decisions to go to college and to choose a major that you see a passion for.
- Jobs in college? How do I manage a work-school-life balance?
- Friends? Are they guiding me to where I want to see myself in the future?
- Internship? Do I need it?
- Jobs post-grad?
- Location? Where do I want to live?
- Is college right for me?
- Study abroad? Expenses?
At least one of these questions has made you stressed out before, and if not yet, they could. I have learned to manage these ongoing questions that filter through my mind daily by reflecting.
I look at the accomplishments I have done. I look at the rewards of my accomplishments. I become grateful every day for the changes and obstacles that have brought me to where I am.
Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t completed items on your ideal list of things needed to succeed. Everything comes with time, and what’s meant for you will be placed in the palm of your hands.
I was so worried last year when I didn’t have a job and was concerned with how much was in my bank account. I was worried I needed a job now to show experience to future employers. I was disappointed that people my age were ahead of me.
This is your path—your journey.
Never compare yourself. Things take time. Every decision I made last year has reflected on what I am doing this year in school. Because I reached out on an app to find somewhere to live before my lease started, I expanded my support system. I have more people that I can call family. Because I listened to my friend and stepped outside of my shell, I landed a job and, following that, an internship. Because of my support system, I gained confidence in myself and the ability to go and try new, uncomfortable things. Because I listened to my dad, I moved across the country alone.
Although these questions roam through your head, college is about experimenting. Go and try something new, and put yourself out there. Because if I hadn’t, I would be on a completely different path. I hope this inspires you to do something that you’ve wanted to do but were too nervous to act on it.