As I graduated high school, people would always ask, "What are your plans now that high school is over?" I never really knew how to answer this question. Sure, I would usually answer with the typical, "Oh you know, go to college, get a degree." And while that answer is correct it was never really what I wanted to say. People always think that we have to have a set plan or know exactly what we want to do with our lives at the age of 18. But in my opinion, we are just starting to figure out who we are. Don't get me wrong, if you know exactly what you want to be and you have a set plan, kudos to you. But for those of us that don't know exactly what our 20 year plan is, that's perfectly okay.
The only way to truly discover who you are is by trying different things. You have to find what you're passionate about and go after it. It doesn't matter if other people think that you are crazy! If you enjoy what you're doing it shouldn't matter what other people think. When you start doing things that you love, you may just find a new perspective of life. Go hike Mount Everest, fill your passport with stamps, become the president of the United States. Do things that will make you happy. Don't fill your life with fear. Being scared keeps us from doing things that we might actually love.
Being 18 comes with a lot of free rein. Most of us will go to college, some will start working, some will join the military, some might join the peace corps, or some might travel the world. This is the time for us to figure out who we are and who we want to be. This is the time for us to make mistakes and grow from them. This is the time to fall in love and maybe find the one, or maybe get your heart broken. This is the time to go for a Chick-fil-A run ten minutes before they close. This is the time to have endless amounts of laughs with your best friends. And while this time is full of fun adventures, this is also the time to learn and work hard. Study hard in college, work your hardest at your job, go out and change someone's life.
The plans for my future aren't set in stone yet. I'm still figuring them out and that's perfectly fine with me. I don't know what I am going to be doing in five years or even one year from now, but whatever I decide to do, I am going to do it for me. The best part about this world is that you can do whatever you want. You are in charge of who you want to be. While this can be scary, this should be one of the most exciting times in your life. And after all the heartbreak, love, loss, memories, experiences, and adventures, you might just find out who you truly are.
