In college, it feels as though I can't turn a corner without being questioned about my life. What's your major? What are you going to do with your degree after school? Are you going to grad school? How are you going to support yourself, or possibly a family? Do you have any husband prospects?
Let me stop you right there before you start asking about my future grandchildren. Ideally, for your sake and my sanity, I would have an elaborate answer to any question you may ask me in regards to my future. But the real answer is, I don't know. Yep, that's right. I don't know.
Before you go all Dr. Phil on me, listen here. Not having everything figured out at age 20 is okay. Why? Because how could I even begin to figure out the rest of my life, when I am just beginning to understand myself? College is all about finding who you are. Finding your passions. Setting goals. Becoming someone you can be proud of. This is definitely not an easy task, nor a very efficient one. It takes time to become who you truly are, as cliché as it sounds. You can't just wake up overnight, and suddenly understand every aspect of your being. We, as young adults, don't have time to think about what lies ahead, when we are still trying to figure out the person in our reflection. And let me tell you a secret -- that's okay. It's okay to not have everything in your life figured out. It's okay to wake up in the morning questioning why you exist on this earth. It's okay to wonder and dream. It's okay to recognize the unknown.
In my life, I constantly regress back to this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that I heard as a kid:
“Life is a journey, not a destination."
I think this quote is very empowering for young adults. It encourages us to stay dedicated to our path in life, but also doesn't pressure us into finding wherever that path may lead. I used to constantly catch myself worrying about what lies ahead, rather than focusing on the life I'm leading. Maybe turning 20 has something to do with it, but I recently chose not to worry anymore. I chose to take the time to learn my being, before I can learn what to do with it. I don't need to have all the answers. Because life isn't about the answers, it's about the journey to finding them.
I may only just be starting my twenties, but I'd like to think I am on the right track. I'm not going to sit around worrying about it. I'm going to live my life in the moment, knowing that I am where I am supposed to be. I don't need to have all the answers, because the answers don't need me quite yet. I'm okay not knowing and you should be, too.
