"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

This is something that each of us are asked by family and even complete strangers (while we are still little and cute, anyways). We reply with answers like "astronaut", "firefighter", "garbageman" or "a unicorn!" And more often than not, we get praised and told that the sky is the limit and we can be whatever we want to be.

Then the magical time comes when we realize that our childhood dreams are far beyond the sky's limit. They are in outer space, where we could have been an astronaut. They're set on fire and we aren't capable of being the firefighter we desperately wanted to be in order to put it out. The garbageman took away our dreams and threw them in the back of his truck, because when we grew up, we were told that we have to be something greater. Possibly the worst part is when we realize that unicorns don't even exist, which makes us question what really exists and how much of it matters.

Then somewhere between middle school and high school we're stuck in a limbo, probably disliking school or thinking it's a waste of time. Then senior year comes and we have to decide if college is the right choice. Path A says that college is the right choice. Path B says that I can find a job elsewhere. Path A: what college? What major? (I didn't like that major so I'm switching it and starting all over) (OK now I hope this one make's me a lot of money). I graduated so where's my job? Oh, I'm not guaranteed a job? Path B: I probably have to know someone and have connections in order to find a job that I could make a living off of. (Or I could become a full time surfer and live off the beach and land). Either way, each Path is a journey that requires dedication and hard work.

The problem (or solution) is that no matter what Path we choose, we could still end up being very happy. In short: there is no correct Path that we should walk down. Personally, going to college was the best choice for me and my goals. The difficulty, however, in deciding at such a young age is because of the thousands of different branches that stem off of each long Path. The decision isn't black and white or cut and dry. Truly we can do anything we want to do and there is no right or wrong answer. I believe that life is half of what you make of it and half of what it makes of you. Sometimes we have to step back and let hope, faith, and hard work mix together in order to create a life full of happiness and a career that we love. After all, happiness is the ultimate goal.