Growing up is frightening and overwhelming. As each day passes, we're expected to become wiser, stronger, smarter, and even more goal-orientated. But what if we haven't set any goals? What if we're too scared to think about our future careers? What happens when we're clueless about what we want to achieve?
I've always been a planner, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I want to be successful, I need to achieve success, and so I will. But how? Recently I've come to the conclusion that it's okay to not have it all figured out. In fact, it's normal. Because when you set expectations for yourself and your life, and you don't hit those goals, you feel like a failure. You end up giving up on your goals and sometimes on yourself.
College students make decisions everyday. If you're a college student, you have to decide to attend classes, apply for internships, and network with professors and alumni or not. You have the power to choose what classes to register for, and personalize your schedule through that. If you make your schedule and realize you'll have a bunch of free time, it's your responsibility to decide what you'll do with that free time. And while all of this is highly important, it isn't stuff you should stress over five years in advance. Take things one day at a time. By doing so, you'll keep your sanity and you'll make the right decisions.
Life is so uncertain. No matter what you have going for you, you can never know what the future will hold. Whether it's a job, a relationship, a class schedule, etcetera, things can come up and "ruin" plans. This can cause enormous amounts of stress and worrying, which is another reason why planning ahead sucks.
Going with the flow prevents unnecessary amounts of stress. Yes, you will still freak out, worry, and wonder if you're doing the right things. But you'll learn to make decisions that will make you happy. If you're missing home, it might be smart to commute or to transfer to a school that's closer to home. You won't be able to detect these kinds of emotions unless you're in the moment.
Control freaks like myself have issues going with the flow. Well, that's an understatement. Not controlling everything about our lives can drive us insane. But we don't have total control over our lives. By taking things one day at a time, we can prevent feelings of failure and sadness. We can make adjustments to our schedules to make sure we do things that make us happy. A year ago you might've thought you wanted to be a Biology major, and today you might want to be a Communications major. Change is normal. As we grow older, we change our minds. Take that into consideration the next time you freak out about your future. Everything will turn out okay as long as you stick to one plan: the plan of making decisions one day at a time.
