If you were to tell me at nine years old that I would meticulously be planning the next six months of my life, or any part of it, I would have laughed at you. Chances are, my mother would have laughed at you. I was a reckless child who only planned what she was going to do while her sister played softball at some far-off ball field (hint: the answer is collecting rocks).

But now, there is some joy that I get from planning ahead, even if I do not always stay on that plan. That is not to say that being spontaneous is bad.

There are people who can afford to wake up and live life by the moment. That is an enviable disposition. You would have to live life worrying, you would not have to wait in fear for what the next day holds. I have mentioned in my writing how my family did not have much when I was younger. I am not saying that we were dirt poor and scrounging for pennies, but we lacked the same resources as other families. I also recognize that me and my sister not have a bad childhood either. My mother and father did everything they possibly could for us, even if that included playing a sport I was not fond of, but it also included supporting me as I achieved my goals.

This led to a cautious lifestyle, but I am not ashamed of that. I take nothing for granted now. Every compliment I receive on my clothing, I take to heart because clothing is dear to me. I now have the freedom to buy what I want, not just what I can afford. That seems trivial and vain, but you must understand. When you do not have a choice, having any choice is a huge deal.

But, without planning, whether you are budgeting money or time, you stand a very huge chance at wasting both.

I am not saying that you should spend of waking minute planning the coming days and months to absolute perfection, but do spend time putting in effort into your future. A simple can change your life. I say this from very recent experience. Until I was applying for internships I knew I would never get, I had no plans to apply for the Disney College Program. Now, I am going to spend half a year in a different (and more sunny) part of the country.

I am doing the one thing I told myself I would never do: put off my graduation from college. However, I somehow knew when I was a freshman that I would not be graduating on time, and honestly, what is six more months of time if I am furthering my career? That time is not being wasted if I am making some of the best memories possible and gaining valuable experience.

But with a trip as huge as this, I cannot afford to idly throw caution to the wind. I have to goal-oriented. I should know as much as I possibly can, because any surprise could be costly. This why I decided to buy a new car. A costly endeavor, for sure, but one that will not cost me when something goes wrong with the car.

There should be must be balance, though. Have an idea, but also let yourself dream, and if you can, make that dream a reality. And sometimes, you have to let yourself wander a little bit to get where you are going.