I would be lying if I said there were not a lot of expectations for today's college students. There are the obvious, and unfortunately, necessary, obligations such as, go to class on time, study for exams, drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. But there seem to be many more unspoken expectations of young adults pursuing a degree. Popular culture believes that, as college students, we should go to class - and excel - while also juggling extra curricular activities, participating in volunteer work, having an active social life, and working a part time job - those books are not going to pay for themselves. Not to mention the people who, over the next four years will continually criticize every move you make in their attempts to "help" you. While these people believe that they know what is best for you, there is only one person who knows exactly what you need: yourself.
I once heard a song that has, over the years, revolutionized my way of thinking. In her song, "Follow Your Arrow," Kacey Musgraves implies that we are each born with an arrow within ourselves. She explains the importance of letting this arrow take the lead, regardless of what others may think. It is not easy, following your arrow. We are taught all our lives that adults, especially the adults in our family, know what is best for us, but that is not always the case. At the end of the day, we must be willing to take risks and do the things that we think will be best for our future.
No matter what happens, someone will always have something to say about the way you walk, talk, dress, and even think. Some people just seem to have this strange complex in which they feel as if everyone should be exactly like them, because they know best. However, what works for one person may be a disaster for the next.
Let this article be a friendly reminder that "you're damned if you and you're damned if you don't, so you might as well just do whatever you want." So make sure that every day you remind yourself that it is more than OK to be loud and gross and silly and even a little annoying. Life is far too short to be anything but bold and unapologetic, so remember to always follow your arrow.
