In high school, I tended to be the person who my friends turned to in order to set them straight or give them an answer to their long awaited questions. I had all the answers.
I was this annoying person who came into college knowing exactly what she wanted to do in life and what she wanted in the grand scheme, like career, kids, and marriage. I had all the answers.
Today, as a college student, I don’t know what I’m doing, what internship I’m supposed to take, where to study abroad, and what grad school to go to. I don’t have all the answers.
I came into college with these expectations of what would happen in the first year: 1) I would fall in love (cheesy I know), 2) I would know exactly where to study abroad, 3) I would know what clubs to join, 4) I wouldn’t change my major or minor, and 5) I would just know things in general. College destroyed this: 1) I haven’t fallen in love, 2) I don’t know where to study abroad, 3) I got rejected from clubs, 4) I’m considering dropping a minor and 5) I know some but not all. I don’t have all the answers.
As college students, we strive to have all the answers and are bread to have a plan. I have a plan, but things change. My plans have changed, I have changed, and what I want is changed. I don’t have all the answers.
If you’re like me and college has destroyed everything you thought would happen, then you’re not alone. Friendships here are built on failing together and trying to believe you’re thriving when you’re not. You don’t have all the answers.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given was, “just because something is different or doesn’t go your way, doesn’t mean it’s bad.”
You don’t have all the answers, but you shouldn’t expect yourself to.
Go with the flow (which is hard), plan, be willing to change your plan, and realize that if we had the answers there wouldn’t be this thing called “maturity” or “growth” that our parents and psychology classes always talk about. If we had all the answers, we wouldn't face potential rejection, disappointment, or greatness. If we had all the answers, we wouldn't need God to show us the way. And lastly, if we had all the answers, we wouldn't find who we are in this crazy world.
Our answers will come soon enough.