Growing up through elementary, middle and high school most of us strived to be “normal.” Let’s face it nobody wanted to be that weird kid who sat by themselves at lunch. If college taught me anything, nobody you meet is “normal” and after a while you realize you’re not even normal yourself. I guess that's okay because didn't Marilyn Monroe teach us that it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring? We all have our quirks and that’s what makes us all different and beautiful. Anyone who's been through college knows that when you finally become a senior your life all of a sudden becomes a crazed blur of internships, senior research, LinkedIn profiles and resume madness. If you haven't made it there yet I wish you all the luck.
But here it goes ...
The dreaded question “What are your plans for after college.” When I first started getting that question I would throw out a little white lie and give the whole grad school I’m interested in marine biology yada ya. (that's not a complete lie) Now when I am thrown that question, my answer is a hesitant, but somehow confident "I have no idea." A blank stare is pretty standard with an “oooooh well you’ll figure it out" thrown in, if i'm lucky i'll even get a "um well you'd better get to figuring that out." Cue the eye rolls..
Somehow society has managed to uphold this stigma that we must go to college and somehow graduate in four years while fitting in extra curriculars, internships, maintaining a perfect 4.0 all while gaining experience for careers in the future. I'm sorry, but if you can succeed in all of the previous listed you must be some sort of robot or suffered through college with no social life. And then you MUST get married and have children and snag that 9-5 job before you're put in the complete failure category all before your 30. Whew.
So why are we getting sucked into these stigmas, these so called social norms? What happens to us misfits who graduate late? For those who don't know by the way the average nowadays for graduating college is six years, not four. k. That have no interest into rushing to sit behind a desk? What happens to us who say marriage can wait, I want my own life?
If you ask me that's pretty normal. I mean forgive us all who feel the same way for actually wanting to see the planet we live on. Just an FYI there's a whole world out there and you never know what opportunities may come of going out there and experiencing it. Even if travel isn't your thing, start a new hobby, pick up yoga, write in a journal, get in tune with yourself. Those things are important and I can guarantee you'll regret not taking the time to stop and appreciate at least trying.
I don't know what I'm even doing next week let alone where i'll be in a year from now. AND THAT'S OKAY. Uncertainty is okay and I’m happy with how I chose to embrace this life I’ve been given. You are in control of your own happiness and I hope you don’t let yourself be miserable. And I certainly hope that stigmas don't control or influence you to push your happiness aside.
“I’m the one who has to die when it’s time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.“ - Jimi Hendrix
