In college, you’re often told to be realistic—to set realistic goals that will lead you on the path to success. But, isn’t success a subjective term? One person’s definition is different from the person sitting next to you. Your best friend could want money, five houses scattered across the globe, and a secure job. But maybe you just want to travel with your dog while living out of a suitcase.
The point is, either way there’s always people telling you you’re wrong. So why bother listening to what they say?
OK, it’s something that has been drilled into us since kindergarten and the idea of “following your dreams” is so watered down and clichéd that it easily slips our minds. But it shouldn’t.
Whether it be going hardcore in creating a vision board, tacking a few pictures in front of your desk, or just thinking out loud to your best friends, there’s power in having dreams and sticking to them.
Do I want an Upper East Side apartment with a Golden Retriever puppy by my side, my own desk at Vogue, and a tattooed passport front-to-back in my vintage Chanel crossbody? You bet my “Gossip Girl” soul I do. Is that going to happen? Maybe, but chances are slim it’s exactly that same picture. But, it keeps me working hard when the going gets tough, and that’s the important part.
Maybe your dreams are the same ones you had as a child and you’re pursuing them full force, or maybe they’ve changed or gone away completely. But having dreams, period, is significant. And when someone tells you they’re too big or unrealistic, you can send them a nice “thank you" email from your seaside villa in Positano in 10 years.
As a full-time college student, as most of us are, the majority of our focus is on short-term goals. I know right now, I’m invested in that paper due in a week and finals coming up in two. And you’re probably thinking, “Why would I waste time thinking about something that’s so far in the future?” but just because it’s not happening right now doesn’t mean it will never happen.
Some days it feels like everything is going wrong and those supposedly unrealistic dreams will be the thought that keeps you from drowning in ice cream and Netflix.
Not everyone will get it, and that’s OK. When you dream big, you have that light at the end of the tunnel that keeps you working hard with a smile on your face. You find inspiration within yourself, and nothing is more powerful than that.
