A lot of pressure is put on teenagers and young adults nowadays, especially where college and their future careers are concerned. It seems as if by the time you turn eighteen, you're expected to know what you want to do for the rest of your life when you've barely even reached adulthood. One common cliche with which society frequently pressures this demographic is referred to by many as the "Four-Year Plan," meaning that you're supposed to have your freshman through senior years of college thought out beforehand, along with the type of career or additional education you wish to achieve afterwards. While this idea might seem helpful to students that are certain about their field of study, it can also be detrimental for those that aren't as sure.
I found myself pulled into the idea of the Four-Year Plan during my senior year of high school, convinced that I may be a failure in college if I didn't have my desires for my future completely planned out like some of my peers. My plan at the time was to earn my Associate's degree in the major I was studying at community college, then later transfer to a university for my Bachelor's degree. Needless to say, quite a bit has changed since then. Now, I'm a sophomore in college who's changed my field of education twice, and the school I attend is in a completely different state than the one I had in mind for so long.
The problem with the Four-Year Plan is not only the amount of pressure it puts on young adults to have their future planned out at such an early age; it also gives many the mindset that they can't change or conform to something outside of their original plan without feeling like they've done something wrong. Change is (usually) healthy, and a big part of growing up and discovering who and what we are as people. It shouldn't be looked down upon to do something other than what you originally planned, especially when it concerns teenagers who only recently had to ask for permission to use the restroom in high school. (In other words, don't convince an eighteen year-old that wants to be a nurse or an accountant someday that he or she is never allowed to change their minds and explore different possibilities.) After I changed my major for the second time, I couldn't help but feel guilty at first for the time I wasted studying other subjects, when I think part of me has known all along that I wanted to major in English. But if I hadn't experimented with other majors before making my last decision, I would have robbed myself of a profound learning process and significant life change as well.
Some people end up sticking with their original Four-Year Plan, and that's certainly okay. I've seen many people enter college with a specific strategy in mind that graduated with their intended degree and are currently thriving in their career fields. But keep in mind, everyone is different, and there's nothing wrong with making a change when it concerns what you'll most likely being doing for the rest of your life. Taking inspiration from a popular quote I came across a few months ago, one of the biggest mistakes you can make while you're young is thinking that you're supposed to have it all figured out.
