College graduation season has been in full swing in recent weeks, and while some people are celebrating their graduation, others are not quite there yet. Whether it's because of personal setbacks, unavoidable road blocks, or other miscellaneous reasons, some people aren't able to graduate "on time."
And that's okay.
Success can be found in all walks of life, and sometimes, it can be found in college. Going to college is one of the toughest tasks anyone can take up, and it isn't something that everyone is meant to do. Even those who are up to the task might need some extra time to make it to their graduation day compared to their peers.
And that's okay.
When I chose to get into a five-year program, I knew that most of my friends would be graduating with their bachelor's degrees while I still had at least a year to go before I was done with college. However, the car accident that I had last year combined with my semester spent abroad in Canada has set me back an additional semester. Seeing most of my friends graduating on time has done a number on my confidence. But I know that taking the extra time to have amazing experiences abroad, as well as recover from my surgery was ultimately the best decision for me.
Ultimately, it's your life, and you have to live it how you see fit. Pushing forward with something that you do not enjoy is most likely not the best thing for you. Even if you are doing something that you enjoy, going at a pace that you have problems maintaining can burn you out and ruin your passion for it. If taking extra time is the best thing for you, make it work. Even if there are financial difficulties involved, if it's worth it, you'll make it work. Taking the extra time, whatever the extra cost, will be worth it in the end.
Life is not a race, or a competition. Even if your friends and peers have accomplished certain things before you have, that doesn't mean that you need to match them. If your so-called friends are the ones who are making these comparisons instead of supporting your endeavors as they are, maybe you can consider finding some more supportive people. As long as you truly believe in yourself and your decisions, any external support will be an added bonus. In the end, you shouldn't contextualize yourself against others, and others shouldn't compare you either, especially since your efforts can only be measured against yourself. Even if you decide to go down a completely different road in the end, as long as you believe that it's the best decision for you.
