As the holidays are quickly approaching, we college students are anxiously awaiting the much-needed family time we all can admit to missing right about now. Huge (scrumptious) family dinners are just around the corner, and yet, once again, so are those annual questions of “How’s school going?” “You decided you major?” “What are you going to do with that?”
Well, the thing is, Uncle Joe… I didn’t know last year and I still don’t know now.
If you can relate to this, guess what? You’re not alone.
For the longest time, I thought I was the only one who didn’t have a “set plan” for my life. I remember as a freshman last year while conversing with my classmates and fellow peers, it honestly seemed as if everyone I spoke to had a step by step map of their life. They knew exactly what they needed to do and how they were going to do it. Of course, this made me think I was doing something wrong. I believed I was ridiculously far behind all these people that were my same age because I had not a clue as to my major, minor, career goal, etc. After a nervous, teary eyed guidance counselor session, I found out soon enough that it’s actually very normal to not have a plan. Cue sigh of relief.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve witnessed some people who have known exactly what they were going to be in life since elementary school, and they’re currently on the road to making that happen. However, that’s a rarity. It’s far more typical to see kids grow up and change their minds, their goals and ultimately, their aspirations to coincide with what they believe will make them happiest. And that’s OK.
Call it cliché, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned to be true since freshman year, it’s that college is truly a time to find yourself. The classes you take, the people you meet, and the experiences you endure are all going to shape you into the person you’re meant to be. The fun part is figuring it out. Use these years to unmask what you’re seriously passionate about. Realize the moments in which you’re happiest. I’m a firm believer that we all have a purpose in this world, and you don’t have to have a definitive plan to reach it.
To be completely honest, I can’t recall a time in my life where I’ve had a plan whatsoever. Throughout the years and in God’s perfect timing, things really have seemed to fall into place exactly as they should. Be patient. At the end of the day, the only real plan that matters is His. You may not know what your purpose in life is, but trust me, you will. Whether you’re a freshman in college or you’ve graduated and things aren’t seeming to work quite as you imagined, take each day as you can and keep the faith that His plan is far greater than anything we could ever ask for or imagine.
