During our teenage years and early twenties, everyone is faced with a series of important decisions. What college to attend if you go at all, what to major in, what career path we want to follow, etc.
At the same time, we have to deal with friends, family, significant others, and everything in between while managing school and a part-time job that probably doesn't pay for near as much as we need it to. It's a stressful and confusing time in life and many people complain about not knowing what they are doing. A person has several options when in this position.
1. Fake it.
This is when you don't have the slightest clue who you are or what you want but you have a feeling you are doing the right thing so you just keep your mouth shut and keep doing what you're doing.
2. Give up and do nothing.
3. Do something you've always wanted to do.
Is there some small something you've always thought about doing but haven't gotten around to yet? A tattoo, a piercing a new hairstyle? Now is a good time to go ahead and do that. Just make sure you think about it first because some things are more permanent than others.
4. Learn something new.
Try occupying any free time you have with learning something new that you are interested in. This way you'll have less time for having an existential crisis because you'll be trying to figure out what a cross stitch is or remember how to play chords on that second-hand guitar.
5.Take a class.
This is the more expensive version of #4 but it can also be more fun. If you have free time and money to spare find something you and some of your friends are all interested in and see if you can find a place near you that offers classes.
It gives you something to do as well as getting you out of your stuffy apartment. You can spend time with your friends, meet new people, and learn something fun all at the same time.
6. Join a gym.
As good as being in shape sounds most of us aren't very good at putting in the work it takes to get there. With nothing else to do and no other directions to take joining a gym and finding someone to go with you a couple times of week may give you the push, you need to finally get going on your fitness journey.
And if gyms aren't your thing and you don't feel like paying membership fees then long walks, headphones, and music will serve as a decent substitute that still gets you out of bed or off the couch.
7. Change jobs.
This isn't an option for everyone but sometimes when you've been at that minimum wage job since freshman year and you only get fifteen hours a week anyway it can be a nice change to look for a different job.
New coworkers, different hours, and trading fast food for retail can all be a nice change when you're stuck in a rut. And if you're reaching the end of your college days or not taking as many classes looking for internships or higher paying jobs is also a possibility.
8.Travel
There aren't many people in the world who don't like the idea of traveling and seeing the world. While most young people don't have funds to fly to a different country a weekend trip to somewhere you've never been before can be refreshing.
9. Develop an addictive hobby
Stay away from drugs and alcohol as well as anything else harmful. Other than that if you have a way to much time on your hands and can find a hobby that takes up large amounts of time while not interfering with whatever else you have to do it may be a good idea to let yourself get fully absorbed in it. This way you have something to do with your spare time other than thinking about life.
10. Accept that you are clueless and so is everyone else.
Accept that if you don't know what you are doing with your life and don't have any long-term plans then that is okay because very few people do. Your teen years and twenties is mostly just you trying to figure out who you are and what you want.
You've got little to no experience being an adult so there is no reason to make a road map of your life for the next thirty years and start planning for retirement before you've turned twenty-five. Make the choices that you think are best for you and if you can't think about next year just think about next month, next week, or tomorrow instead.
