Five years ago, when my college journey began, I was very sure where I would find myself now: on my way to vet school. It is funny how life turns out, because you find yourself nowhere where you thought you would be, yet loving every second of it. I find myself finishing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, far from where I began. As it happens, it is more enjoyable writing blogs and reading Machiavelli than studying for organic chemistry (not that any sane person does). My path through college has been one of self discovery that hasn’t ended just yet. On June 10th, I will be walking down the Mangual colosseum screaming like a maniac “¡Colegio te clavé!” Yet, when it comes to narrowing down into one sentence the answer to the question I have been bombarded with for the last couple of months, I find it impossible to do so; “What do you want to do with your life?”
People ask as if choosing what you ought to do for a living was a simple answer. I mean, if you get married and it doesn’t go well you can get a divorce; switching careers is a bit harder than that. Choosing, what a difficult task… as if it didn’t break my heart enough every time I have to choose between cheesecake and brownies. To try to answer the question that brought you to read this blog, it is not that one is clueless about the future; it is just that, when you reach a certain point in life, you find out the possibilities are actually endless.
Yes, I want to do EVERYTHING! I want to keep writing until something interesting actually pops up when people google me. I have a list of like 15 places that I want to go to, and a bigger one of concerts to attend, things to do, and pictures to take. I want to live in New York, in Boston, and in London, yet have a farm with horses and dogs somewhere in the picturesque South. I want to be a kick-ass lawyer, I want to be Olivia Pope, or better yet, the President himself. I want to do so much, that I find it impossible to answer this question by reducing my happiness to an acceptance letter of X program or a job offer of Y place.
If you share this burden with me, you are not alone. There is nothing wrong with seizing rather than choosing. If I have learned something during this time is that what you turn out to love the most happens often unpredictably. At 20, I have worked as a vet technician, research field assistant, magazine editor, a tutor, and currently participate as an active member of a Pre-law fraternity, thriving on the idea of becoming a lawyer. Find any connections? There are none, except that I have love for each of those jobs. They all bring out a different part of myself, bits that I enjoy sharing with others. Unlike all my peers, who are anxious about their LSAT, I have decided to shift my focus into getting ready to be ready, rather than throwing myself in there unprepared and regretting it later. Life has so much to offer, and I feel ready to experience it all, before drowning myself in study debt. Here are some lessons on how to seize it without losing it or, as your parents say, not sending your life to waste and living out of their mercy for the rest of your life.
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Make connections: During my time as a field investigator I met SO many people, I mean SO many interesting, important, will-write-a-darn-good-recommendation-letter folks. You get where I am going. Connections are EVERYTHING. Whatever you are doing, excel. Make sure that the people working with you actually know your name. Show interest in the job, let your superiors see you thrive for more because, at the end of the day, responsibility, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn kick more butt than a 4.0 GPA and 0 people skills.
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Ask questions: How did you get here? On a scale of one to ten how much do you love it? Is this what you always saw yourself doing? What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow your footsteps? Take your curious six-year-old self for a ride. You will find yourself identified and inspired by whom you least expect it.
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Exploit every experience: The only thing between you and your next hit story is a yes (what I actually tell myself every time I am about to make a bad decision). No, seriously, life is short, and there are some opportunities that you will only have once. The best part about my multiple job experience has been traveling, meeting people, and the unforgettable memories of daring to do stuff I never thought possible. Chase that snake to the top of the tree, even if you can’t find your way down with the eight feet boa. Pretend you are not terrified by the sight of that mare giving birth. Write with flow, as if you were Edgar Allan Poe. Dare yourself to enjoy what you are doing, even if you find out later it wasn’t so great after all.
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Narrow your path: As time passes by, you might not have a clear picture of where you want to be, but at least you will know where you don’t. That is enough, as it will lead you towards making the right decisions on getting you closer to where you ought to be.
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Make a timeline: I know that everyone around you is telling you that the clock is ticking, but hey, you’re like, 23? Exactly. You have your whole life ahead of you, or maybe don’t, either way, reason enough to do it right. Make a timeline, set goals by a reasonable period of time and, as you go, you will approach your final destination steadily, while enjoying the view to the top. Like, by 25 I want to cross out two places out of my travel bucket list. By 27 I want to finish grad school. At 35 I will have my dream job (or whatever). Just be realistic, remember that formulas don’t work for everybody, and that no plan should be stiff. Do you know why Christina Yang is so great? Because she doesn’t exist for real.
Finally, stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Be clever, make a living as you go, grow, explore, learn, but don’t let the pressure from everyone else get to you and force you into choosing for the sake of it rather than doing something less than what you love. Don’t you dare let anybody convince you that your life should be anything else than everything you aim it to be. Your main goal should be to experience, not to produce. The next time they ask you “What do you want to do with your life?” remember that it is more than ok to simply answer “Just live it.” That, my friend, is actually the right answer that many more people have yet to discover.