At family gatherings, it is the worst; whenever people bring it up in conversation, the reactions by the recipients of the question range from mild frustration to outright hostility.

“So, what do you wanna do with your life?”

Usually, the recipients of this taboo question are in the middle of applying to schools; as if that process wasn’t stressful enough, it is now compounded with the eternal question that always pops up regarding the future despite such recipients being merely 17 or 18 years old.

However, this is not the complete truth; as opposed to the question, it seems the answer, or lack of it, is more of the direct cause of the stress and the frustration.

The stress comes from the potential conflict of what you want to achieve in comparison to what your parents want you to achieve. The stress comes from the inability of knowing what path you can take to achieve the goals you want to achieve. The stress comes from not knowing whether your goals will change and whether you can realize them if that happens. The stress comes from your sheer gamble that throwing yourself into a new environment with university and college may potentially let you achieve what you want to achieve. The stress comes from feeling alone when it seems like everyone knows what path they're headed on while you're stuck in this cloud of doubt that can't seem to disappear.

But, for the most part, that stress comes from within us. It certainly isn't coming from colleges and universities; with the number of majors and courses available to study, no matter where one chooses to study, the possibilities are endless, and the path is dynamic, constantly open to changes. The real stress comes in that hard process of understanding that, no matter what one does, life takes everyone in completely different directions than even intended. I know I went in applying for a Psychology major to most of my schools; now, I'm glad to say I'll be studying at Education and Economics at NYU, but even that is subject to change. After all, how can anyone understand their passion if they haven't experienced it yet?

Speaking of anecdotes, my vocal teacher had his own. He started off as a gifted violinist; he had an All-State background, and was renowned for his skill and ability. However, when he finally participated in a choir led by John Rutter, he completely switched gears. Despite not having any experience in singing at the time, he managed to shift gears completely despite the hurdles, and now works at his passion as a very successful choral director. Who is he? Edward Norris of the Glen Cove High School Select Chorale, which has gone onto singing tours in Italy for the Pope, performances at the White House, and constantly achieving Gold with Distinction award at NYSSMA Vocal Ensemble adjudication. As for how he knows it's his passion? He told me that, whenever he conducts his choir, that is the only thing that's on his mind; the tempo, rhythm, dynamics, etc. Nothing else matters to him.

Although some will scoff, simply saying that "he was always going in for music", the overarching theme of his personal story is that it's okay to be unsure, and to drop everything and change. At 17 or 18 years old, no one can truly say that they've had a hand in experiencing everything about the wondrous world around us; how can anyone know of what they wish to pursue with 100% pure confidence?

As many other high school seniors and I move onto some of the most critical periods of our lives, it is important to realize the honest truth that our current aspirations may not end up being the same after even a year at whatever institution one studies at. It may be that one's environment isn't ideal, as seen by the 33% undergrad students who transfer colleges at least once, or it may be finding your true passion, represented by the astounding 80% of students who end up changing their major at least once. However, everyone can take comfort in knowing that the world out there has a hidden path for all of us; whether it is in changing colleges, changing majors, changing jobs, or any other change, we can all take refuge in that the stress toward dealing with other people, and accepting the plunge into the unknown will fade away, and that's the best kind of relief there can be.