College isn’t a race. Getting a degree isn’t a race. Everyone finishes at their own pace. A very close friend of mine is so worried that because she’s a part time student that she’ll never finish school. She kept comparing herself to other kids that graduated high school with us as if she was on a time limit. But you’re not.
College is about education. Some people are academically motivated and others are not. So what if you take less than twelve hours this semester and your friend/roommate/whoever takes sixteen. You are not them. If less than twelve hours means you aren’t stressing about class then that’s all that matters. Some people can handle more on their plate. Comparing yourself to them won’t change who you are. If you can take more than sixteen hours and still have a social life and be happy then, by all means, do it.
My sister’s coworker waited to get her degree until she was in her late twenties and she said it was the best decision she made for herself. She had time to do what she wanted while she got her degree.
Some people take years off of college before going back. The thing we need to remember in this day and age is that we can achieve anything at our own pace.
When you start rushing to finish school and stress about everything you’re only hurting yourself.
My parents told me I was going to college after high school like it wasn’t a choice. I did like they said and went to school. Here I am, a junior in college, who possibly missed opportunities that would have presented themselves if I took a year off before starting school.
Some people say they’ll take a year off before going to school and then never go back. That’s fine by me as long as they’re happy. Personally, it’s taken me a while to learn that I’m not like anyone else. I spent years comparing myself to others who were better in class. Comparing myself to them only made things worse. We all have our own way of learning as well as our own pace in doing it.
Take a deep breath and relax because college isn’t a race. You’ll have many of your own experiences in life, don’t make it a race against others.
