There’s something dangerous about a person's liberal use of the word “someday.”

Sometimes, when I’m talking to my friends from school, the conversation will go from a happy-go-lucky setting to a deeper, more serious territory. Most of the time, this means we’ll start talking about the things that we want to do when we get out of school.

Four years is a long time. Although I'm sure that these years will go by quickly, I groan at the thought that I have many more years of schooling after my bachelor's degree. Yet, there's still pride in my chest when I say, "Someday, I'm going to be a lawyer."

A little later on, someone will remark that they have dreams of being a teacher or a historian. If my friends weren't college students, I'd be worried about their use of the word "someday". But, since my friends and myself are actively working to achieve their goals, the use of "someday" is harmless.

If I entered a courtroom today, I'd be escorted out of the room without a second thought. I don't have the ability to practice law or the ability to even understand how to win a case. This isn't some sort of personal failure. I'm pursuing two degrees, joining clubs and looking up grad schools. These steps will allow me to be able to take the next step in my attempt to receive my time in court.

There's no danger in dreaming. It's the hopes pursued without a plan that is a lot less innocent. Would you hope to win the lottery without buying a ticket? Would you hope to become a renowned chef without cooking any meals? Why on Earth would you try to achieve a dream without having a plan and actively working towards your goal?

This sounds simple enough, but I see people time and time again who dream without action. I had high school friends who wanted to pursue careers that require a second degree but aren't attending school. In almost all cases, these types of people lose out on their dreams because of the active choice to pick procrastination over the meager action of hard work.

It's not even just the act of procrastination that is dangerous, but the potential loss of important experiences as well. If you are too busy worrying about only dreaming about a goal, then you lose any sort of edge in achieving the goal. Internships, outsourcing, and club joining are a crucial part of putting oneself out into the working world.

Without the drive to go above and beyond expectations, you might get lost in the sea of people who have the same dreams as you. Or worse, you may not be able to even get your feet off the ground. You'll be stuck, and there's nothing worse than standing still.