It's the reason we hate going home for break and seeing extended family who want to be caught up on our whole life story. It's the reason we sometimes make up a fake major and life plan just so everyone will stop asking, and it's the reason that can make the trip home so unbearable: "What are you doing with your life?"

There's an unexplainable sense of freedom that you gain when you get to college. Half the fun and excitement of college is figuring out what in the world you're going to do with your life and getting to decide things for yourself. Of course, this doesn't go to say that you can't get by with some help from friends and family, and connections are a great thing to have. But like I said, college is about finding out who you are and what you like and finding out the tough stuff for yourself sometimes.

Why family members other than your mom and dad can't just cool it with the 20 questions and be happy that you're doing well in school, beats me. When you see them on the long breaks home from school you just want to be able to tell them about your exciting adventures in college so far; but instead, it somehow always ends up that your Great-Aunt Kim wants to set you up with her friend's cousin's husband's best friend for a job opportunity that's sort of related to what you're thinking about doing. Before you know it, you're stuck talking about something that doesn't even matter to you. The fact that they can't just let you figure it out on your own drives you up the wall. 

We think we're strong, independent people who don't need help. We want to fend for ourselves and see what we can and can't do. Amidst trying to discover who we are, establish relationships with new friends, and grow as people, we're also trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives. 

College is stressful enough without what seems like the whole world breathing down your back, so to all the extended family who wants to know what you plan on doing with your life, I plan on being successful and hopefully having a great job someday. But as for now, I just plan on trying my best in school and enjoying college. 

Life is too short to live with fear of the future and always needing a step by step plan for everything. Enjoy college while it lasts and of course stay focused on your goals, but you can't forget to have fun along the way. This is something we as students have to keep in mind, and also something we should tell our family who wants to know what we plan on doing with our lives.