As millennials, we are perhaps the generation with the most pressure to succeed. Growing up, our parents enrolled us in dance, basketball, summer camp, and piano lessons all at the same time. They went to parent-teacher conferences, hired tutors for us, and rewarded us for good grades. Our parents have great expectations for us — with all of their guidance and hand-holding, we are expected to perform and excel. The school system has ingrained in us the importance of passing standardized exams and moving on to the next level. We have to get a good score on the ACT in order to get into a good college, we have to get into a good college to get a good job, and we have to get a good job in order to have a “good” life. Our lives have been charted out in planners and broken down into daily schedules denoting our next appointment, our next game, and our next test. We’re expected to be organized and always make the most rational decisions. From the moment when we were born, our families have made plans for us and our society has expected success from us.
Although we applaud our parents for their guidance and assistance over the years, the pressure from high expectations can be intense. Not only do our parents and our society put pressure on us from a young age, but we have internalized these very same ideas ourselves. We carry the weight on our shoulders of excelling academically, athletically, musically, and even in our jobs. Although it’s incredibly desired to be well-rounded, these responsibilities and expectations eventually pile up and make our goals seem unattainable. We work tirelessly to get into the best college, to receive the best scholarships, and to choose the most practical major. Certain fields of study are often praised — like law, medicine, and business — while you are most likely discouraged from pursuing degrees in music, literature, or art. While any of these are good choices, not all of us are meant to pursue what many would consider the “practical” options. There is this lingering idea that our degree sternly dictates how we will spend the rest of our lives, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. We may believe that we have to major in science and maintain a 4.0 GPA, but these expectations are not always attainable. When we don’t live up to our expectations or adhere to our parents' guidance, we feel as if we’ve hit rock bottom and there is no hope for recovery. After all, we’ve come to believe that life is about success and working until we retire.
While these aspects may be important — our grades, our majors, our sports, our talents, our skills — they do not define us. There is no cut and dry set of instructions for how to succeed in life. You don’t have to score the winning goal to be successful, you don’t have to make a 4.0 to be fulfilled, and you don’t have to become an E.R. surgeon to lead a meaningful, purpose-filled life. Despite what you have come to believe, you do not have to follow all of the standards set by our generation to be happy. Life is about more than getting a good job and college is about more than getting a certificate. Work hard and make good grades, but, in the process, crave knowledge and enjoy learning. Never limit yourself to one path. Explore your options and take advantage of all your opportunities. If you don’t yet know what you want to study in college, take a year off and travel. Get to know yourself and the world around you. Meet new people, try new things, and experience as much as you possibly can. When you go to college, choose a major that lights a flame within you and that sparks a passion that cannot be extinguished. Your passion may not provide the widest range of job options or lead to a six-figure salary, but it is worthwhile, it is valuable, and it could lead you to places that you never thought possible. We’ve been raised to be successful and we will be. However, success will look vastly different for every individual. Our success is not defined by an exam, scores, or college. Success is found in the joy and passion within our hearts and how we decide to project it. If you have no idea what you’re doing with your life, I’m here to tell you that I feel the same way, and that is perfectly OK. You may not fulfill the steadily increasing expectations of our generation or our society, but, when you pursue your true passions, that is when you find success.
