I only have a couple months left of being an 18-years-old, but I feel like this can relate to all ages in some way.

I remember how in 8th grade, my school had me fill out an 8-year plan full of what classes I would take in high school and college; when I would graduate; and what I was going to do to make a living in school and out of school. I thought it so unfair for them to ask me all that in only 8th grade, and I honestly don't even remember what I put.

At 18, you're legally an adult, but it's hard to become one. You have so much left to do before you actually feel like you have responsibilities. Now, I appreciate the help from my parents. They want to make sure I finish school before being weighed down by adult duties and never getting my degree. Not everyone has that privilege, though, and may have to take on the responsibilities. Despite that, though, you may still not feel like an adult because we grew up being told that "adults know what they're doing", and that's okay.

Now, without further ado, here is why you shouldn't feel guilty about not knowing what you're doing..

1. You’re only 18!

You still have your whole life to get to, so not knowing what you’re doing yet is perfectly fine. There are some people much older than you that still don’t know what they’re doing.

2. The "Dream Job" takes work.

Getting the perfect job for your college major or high school graduate dream will not happen right away. Until it does, you have to work other jobs or even none at all until you graduate college. That's why it's okay not to know what you're doing until then. The steps it takes to get to your dream job can be many, and they won't all be easy.

3. Things can change.

You don't always have the same hobbies and likes. At 18, my sister was a Physics major, but now, 3-4 years later, she's an English major. She thought she knew what she wanted to do, but her interests changed. It can happen to anyone! That's why it's okay not to know what college degree you're aiming for, if at all. Things change in you and the world.

4. We were exposed to adult stereotypes.

Since we were very little, we have been exposed to so many adult stereotypes, and as we grew, we considered them more and more true. Now that you're in the position of being an adult, though, you realize it's not true at all. When you turn 18, you don't automatically understand the world and mature. You're still the fumbling, lost 17 year old you were the day before! In the 24 hours it took for your birthday, you can't plan everything you're going to do.

When you turn 18 in high school, you still have to go to the same classes the next day, as if nothing has changed, and it'll be that way until you graduate. In college, yes, things are different, but I'm still completely lost and don't know what to do most of the time.

5. You're still a teen.

Eighteen... Yes, just because you can be labeled as an adult, you are still a teenager. It sucks, but it's true. Psychology, anatomy, biology... They all have facts that prove one thing: we are still growing at 18. In psychology, we discussed that the brain is not fully formed until the age of 21, but if you were to google it, the brain has until you are 25. So we are still changing and growing at 18 and experiencing the wonderful signs of being an adolescent. That's why you can't expect to make the rational decisions that a full-fledged adult brain could.

6. The transition...

The transition from high school student to worker or college student is incredibly stressful for some. We are conditioned from at least 5 years old to get up early and go to 4-9 classes every day, depending on the school system, and switching to a schedule that we are allowed to make ourselves can be so, so heavy on your mind.

I, for one, found it hard to switch into the college schedule simply because I wasn't used to having free time between my classes. In high school, it was every class back-to-back with only 4 minutes to get to each one, but here... I have 2 hours between two of my classes to study and eat lunch. I have time to eat! In high school we only had 15 minutes to get food, eat it, and hang out with our friends. It especially hits me that when I wake up in the morning, i can choose whether or not to go to class. I am paying for it, so it's my decision whether or not I want to be responsible. (Of course, I'll never skip a class because I won't waste my parents' money like that.)

7. Careers

Like I said in #3, the world changes... constantly. You may be the kind of person to follow the career path you enjoy more than you need. Sometimes you need a career more than you want it. In college, most people have to get jobs to help pay for everything, and those jobs may help you discover yourself.

By working in a fast food chain or dine-in restaurant, you may realize that you are either great or mediocre at customer service, and because of that, you may change or choose a variation of the career you want. The jobs you get in college can help you learn what you can accomplish and what you can't handle. So, not knowing what you want to do for a living yet is perfectly fine.

8. You may not make it.

Sorry to be straightforward, but it's true. When it comes to graduating college, only 55% of students actually graduate. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-24...)

Statistics have always shown us the amount of students that drop-out within their first year, and it really is a possibility for every one of us. After graduating at the top of my class, I found myself hating the whole idea of another 4 years of schooling. So, it's not just the stereotype of those that party and are lazy that drop-out. So, whether you were an excellent student or not, you have to face the decision of going through the time that it will take to get your degree and whether you can handle it.

With that, it's okay not have yourself in order now because things may change later when you start to understand what you're signing up for.

All in all, as a fellow 18 year old, it's okay not to know what you're doing at 18 because life is a whirlwind of change and adaptation.