Society puts way too much pressure on its youth to have a plan. Even since we were kids, others have always been asking, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Back then I would have said that I wanted to be an astronaut; that plan has changed about one thousand times since the time I was six years old. Who knows if it will change over the next four years of college? Just last year I was dead set on becoming a Veterinarian, I even did a summer internship at the local Veterinarian Hospital. That dream came to a very abrupt ending within the first two weeks of school. Because I felt unsure, I switched my major to the polar opposite of the sciences: Studio Art. The point is, weather you have your life figured out or not, it is more than ok. Let’s be realistic for a second, if you are reading this article you are most likely in between the ages of 18-22. Newsflash guys, we are so young. How are we expected to know what we want to be doing 20 years down the road? I don’t even know what I want to be doing in five hours!
If you are in college, you have even less of a reason to worry. Just getting accepted into a college is an amazing accomplishment and a privilege that not many people have. By attending college, you have opened yourself up to a world of possibility. Now, use this opportunity to figure out what you like and don’t like. That's the reason colleges have multiple majors and fields of study. Don’t rush into anything, explore any and everything you are interested in and learn as much as you can about each. You have time to figure out what to do and many advisors to guide you down the right path.
Now, finding something to be interested in may not be easy for a lot of people. It requires hard work and an open mind. "I'm not sure" should never be an excuse not to work hard. I did not give up on being a Veterinarian/ Biology major because it was too hard. I gave it up because I really did not enjoy the material I was learning. Before I switched majors I went through a period of being unsure which was really intimidating for me and I'm sure my parents. In the end, I learned that taking the time to explore my options with an open mind was crucial. I'm so happy that I invested time to find something that truly interests me. Even though I don't know exactly what I want to do, I know that I am on the right path. If I work hard in every subject that is presented to me, it will lead me somewhere positive.
The unknown is scary, but facing the unknown will be worth it in the end. Spend the time to figure out what matters to you; what you find interesting. Even though might take you a while to figure it out, having a plan that you are excited to accomplish is a million times better than rushing into one that is doomed from the start.
