If you’re anything like me, a 20-something-year-old college student, you know that life can feel a little rough sometimes. That eight-page paper on a book you didn’t read, clothes piling up on your floor because you haven’t done laundry in a month, and somehow you’re still trying to maintain a social life (yeah, good luck with that). It can all seem overwhelming; we’ve all been there. “College is great!” they say. “You’ll know exactly what you want to do once you find a major!”
Well, if you’re anything like me, that’s not always the case.
Sometimes we don’t know what we want in life, let alone know what we want to eat for lunch that day, and that’s okay. College is a hard transition; moving away from friends and loved ones, leaving that sense of familiarity behind you in order to move onto bigger and better things is rough, but sometimes that's what's expected of you. I’m here to tell you that contrary to popular belief, you really aren’t supposed to know exactly what you’re doing every step of the way, and it’s healthy to let loose and give up control sometimes. Whether it’s that awful homework assignment you’ve been procrastinating on, figuring out what classes to take next semester, or building up the courage to ask that cute boy in your physics class out on a date, you can do it all. Each step takes you closer to your goal, and even if you don’t have a goal in mind, moving forward is always your best option.You're not alone.
College can feel isolating and lonely. Believe me; I get it.
Just because everyone else doesn’t seem this way on the outside doesn’t mean they don’t feel these normal emotions internally. It’s hard when you’re surrounded by people your own age who all seem like they have their life together, but in reality, they are just really good at faking it. No one in their 20s really knows what they’re doing, and that’s a fact. You’re not expected to feel normal and happy every second of the day, and you’re not expected to have your life in order, either. All of these feelings are just part of the process.
Stop comparing yourself to other people.
This is something my parents have told me almost every day since I was a kid: comparing yourself to other people only takes away from your own happiness. So, your roommate who always gets A’s on every assignment and test? Or that really pretty girl from high school you occasionally stalk on Instagram who seems like she has her life together? That doesn't matter, and it's usually not always the case. Comparing yourself to these people will just ultimately make you unhappy, and who wants that? You are completely different from everyone else, and your individuality is what really counts, so why try and be like your roommate or that girl from high school?
Decisions you make now are NOT permanent.
Change your major three times, drop a class halfway through the quarter, or realize college isn’t even for you; these are all decisions that will not affect your future permanently.
Not everything is a crisis, and although it seems like the decisions we make now affect our entire future, they really don’t. Kanye West worked at the GAP in his 20’s, Tina Fey was working at the Y.M.C.A, and Oprah got fired from her job as a TV reporter.So if this should teach you anything, it’s that great things take time. Getting rejected or let go from certain opportunities only means that there is something better waiting for you somewhere else. So in the meantime, take it easy and enjoy these years that you can afford to slack off before you have to become a "real" adult.
