When I turned 21, I began to feel like I needed to have a life plan, especially since many of the doctors I work with started asking me the same type of questions over and over again: “What are you going to school for?” “What are you planning on doing with your life?” “What do you plan to do when you graduate?” I always answered them the same way, “I’m not sure, I’m still trying to figure it out.” It was not up until the last month that I realized that it is perfectly fine to not know where I want my life to go.
Rewind to 2013 -- I would have answered those questions with very specific answers. Upon graduating high school, I was ready to begin my new life at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. I was absolutely positive that I wanted to be a psychologist until I began taking college courses. Everything was so interesting to me, I ended up spending thousands of dollars to learn that I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. That is what made me decide to move back to my hometown and continue my education at the local community college.
Not only was I lost in what I wanted to do with my life, but I felt completely different from my peers who surrounded me at Northern Arizona University. I was not the type of girl who wanted to get drunk every night, and it felt as if everyone I met was all about partying. It became difficult for me to bond with anyone. Needless to say, I really missed my friends from my hometown.
After my first year at Northern Arizona University I moved back to the town I came from. Although I felt torn to stay in Flagstaff, Arizona because I was afraid of disappointing my family, leaving was something I needed to do for myself. It is difficult to say what my life would be like if I did continue to attend Northern Arizona University but I believe things happen for a reason.
From elementary school to the time I graduated high school people had always told me that going to a university was the only way I would get anywhere successful in life. Today, being a young woman in her early 20s, I could not disagree with the statement more. There is truly a world of endless opportunity in front of everyone.
Being one of those people who left a university to come back to her hometown there has been a constant feeling of disappointment and stress over me until recently. I have learned that it is completely okay to not know what you want to do with your life. Sometimes you have to let life work itself out and not try to do anything for anyone but yourself. As a young adult it is your time to be selfish and make yourself happy.
Remember to be open to the opportunities that lie in front of you and to never turn a blind eye to what life has to offer.
