If you talked to me before I left for college, I would have told you I had my life planned out. I knew how many kids I wanted, the kind of car I want to drive, how soon I wished to be married, the list goes on. You name it, I had a plan. I also was determined that I was NOT going to be someone who changed their major because I had a PLAN and I knew this was what I wanted! [pause for laughter].
As I'm sure everyone reading this can already tell, things have not gone to plan and, honestly, I couldn't be more grateful for that. The life lessons I have gone through, and continue to go through, have changed my look on life, and changed what I want from it. I no longer have a set plan for more than a couple months in advance, and it is so much less stressful. I don't much care for when or if I get married because I am single right now and I am enjoying that. I don't need the added pressure of finding a spouse or that I need to at least have a committed partner by a certain point in my life or I'll be 'forever alone'.
The biggest change in my life since starting college is that I no longer know if I even want to have kids. Don't get me wrong, I love kids. But I have found meaning in my life in focusing on myself right now, and I'm not thinking far enough into the future to imagine mini me's running around, what they would look like, act like, etc. I might have kids someday, and maybe I'll even adopt if the opportunity presents itself. But, until then, I am my focus, and that has been the biggest change I've experienced as I entered my 20s.
Don't let society pressure you into thinking you need to focus on anything or plan out your entire life right now. Sure, you should do things intentionally, but don't get too worked up if you don't have the same level job, same serious relationship, or amount of kids as someone else your age. Your time will come when it is your time! Slow down and enjoy YOUR life before you rush into making your life be for someone else's.
