We put a lot of pressure on high schoolers to figure it all out: where are you going to college? What do you want to do? How are you going to afford that? What do you want to do with your degree? But how can a 17 year old truly know what they want to do for the next 30+ years?
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| I didn't know what picture to use so I went with coffee...(again) |
Then you get into college and everything you have known about life and how you live gets challenged. You are no longer in the security of your hometown (usually) and you're living alone. There are no more "built in" friends, you've just been thrown into a vast pit of 500 other students trying to figure it all out again. Do you actually want to do what you said back in high school? What clubs do you want to join? What classes are you going to sign up for?
Without realizing it people begin to categorize you by these choices because people love labels. Really though, you're just trying to figure out who you want to be.
I've had times in my college career where I've gone out a lot and times now where I just stay in, order a large pizza, and hang out. Neither is right or wrong. I just find it so interesting to see how people slowly change over time as they try to figure themselves out. College is only temporary. You eventually graduate, get a job (hopefully), and begin a more permanent life.
People think that once they are set onto the path of adulthood they can't change, when in fact they can. You can still be figuring out who you want to be as an adult. I argue that you're always trying to figure it out.
If you stop challenging yourself to grow I think you've stopped wanting to learn. Knowledge is power. Maybe you don't change your beliefs or actions but studying and reconfirming who you are and what you do is very powerful.
It can be easy to live a passive life once you get to a certain point but I challenge you to remain active in your thoughts. Whether you're 17 or 70 we're all just trying to figure ourselves out.
Until next time,
Taylor xx
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