As senior year ends for both high school and college students, plans for summer escapades begin to unravel. Whether it is going to music festivals around the country or preparing for summer classes, we all have some type of plan that has been in the making for months now. For some high school seniors, this summer will be a time of college orientations and making last minute plans with friends moving to different institutions. This is also the time when majors are decided upon and students begin to prepare for their first year in their college careers. These small events seem, for most individuals, to be part of a plan laid out with friends and family. What some may not realize is that there may be an unforeseen moment where they will have to learn to adjust.
We have to learn that nothing ever truly goes according to plan. The ability to adjust at any given time is a blessing, even for the most adept of individuals. Many of us begin our years of college believing that we are destined for one particular career path, not realizing that there is a chance that our chosen path may not be as easy or as straightforward as we thought. Having something as a backup plan, whether it's an added minor or a job proposition, is essential to be prepared for those moments that can completely blindside you. Now, will everybody experience moments like this? Some do not, and they work hard at the profession or major that they chose. The ideal scenario, though, is that we should always be prepared.
For some students, the option of changing their major comes into play. This can be difficult for students who are stubborn about what they want to do when they finish college, and it's hard for them to understand that the path they are currently walking may not be the best option. In many cases, students simply try too hard to fulfill the course they planned in their freshmen year, and they burn out from the stress. It's only when they feel their last leg give out that they decide there needs to be a more stable way of reaching their goal. This is also the moment when the phrase "pacing yourself" is heard more times than anyone wants to hear, both from friends and from ourselves.
The benefits of having a backup plan in college are as follows: you know you have something to fall back on, you understand that you will be stable in the position you choose and you've made this plan in a way that allows you to breathe and not stress out about everything that comes near. Stress is not good for us mentally or physically, and can slow you down in your progress toward your goal. You can make a plan for your goals; just have at least two backups to fall back on so you do not get overwhelmed.
