As the last semesters of university approached, the pressure for all those goals and ideal achievements I once had in my mind started to finally haunt me. Someone should just not be expected to have their life together right after graduation.

It didn’t even come from my parents, but rather than myself. The idea of graduating with not only the greatest job opportunity for a successful career, but also being financially independent, having met the love of my life and being ready to settle.

Yep, that was me for once.

It took me a while to realize how relative time actually is. There are just no life deadlines, and going on my own pace is just fine.

It is as if each individual has its own personal clock; no age or time will make their achievements any less victorious. Getting married at 22? Great. Getting married at 35? Also great. Not getting married at all? Just as great.

Nobody works the same, someone should not feel less accomplished if they graduate at 30 rather than 20. Or if they finally land on their dream job after years of hard work, rather than that one friend who got a great offer at graduation.

Graduation is not a passage from irresponsible teenagehood to a settled adulthood; most of us have been unpolished adults for far before that, without even realizing it.

Enjoy what life has to offer you now, and don’t let great opportunities pass by the fear of not being able to catch up to others, or catch up on time.

Be you, be now, and you’ll reach these goals along the way.