We have all heard something along the lines of, “You only live once, you know, so live as if you’ll die tomorrow.” It usually comes from older generations who wish to spread their wisdom and help us learn from their regrets.

And I’m sure every 20 something-year-old is both inspired and confused by this paradox. There’s the, “Spend money on experiences, not things,” concept legitimizing all of our desires to pick up and go travel and see the world. It’s something we all romanticize, yet so few of us can actually live out. In order to support a lifestyle where you feel you can live each day to the fullest (and maybe also having spare money for food and shelter) we essentially have to stay in school to get a somewhat decent, and a not always guaranteed, job. We are starting to see that getting a degree is hardly enough these days--we may find that we need a masters or a Ph.D. to get a well-paying job. We also find we need to have experience. We need to know the right people and make the right connections. It’s so confusing and I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. So, how do we balance all of that at once?

I want someone to tell me how the hell I’m supposed to find balance between getting a degree, maintaining my mental and physical health, having a social life, and somehow earning enough money to support myself, all while living without the promise of tomorrow. Because if I’m not guaranteed tomorrow, I want to drive to the airport and take the next flight to Fiji, Greece, Argentina, or Denmark. I want to backpack through Europe and South America and every National Park in the United States, too. I want to eat great food, and hang out with even greater people. I want to be more than okay. I want to be happy. I want to be content.

But here I am, and you probably are, too, looking at a computer screen and daydreaming about all of the endless possibilities. Maybe you’re about to study for that exam or start writing an essay that’s due tonight because that’s what our teachers are telling us is important. We are important. We are the next generation who will change and create the future. So stay in school because it will matter one day.

We are all blindly trusting we will see that one day. Then we can start living our lives, right?