Dear whoever believes that they are better than me,

We all make choices. Mostly, we all make our choices a little differently than others make their choices. Guess what? That is perfectly OK! There are millions of options to choose between colleges and majors, and yours is going to be different than your best friend and your worst enemy. Everyone can have a different college experience at the same college based on the choices they make.

I understand that not everyone wants to study abroad. I understand that studying abroad a whole year may push me back a semester. Guess what? That is my choice. No matter what you say, I will try as hard as I can to get as much studying abroad in as possible. Mocking my choices because it is not what you would choose, does not make me want to do it less. It actually makes me want to explore more because I feel lucky to be given the opportunity to explore when you won’t take it.

I understand that my major choice may seem boring to others. I understand that I complain a lot about it because I know in the long run I won’t have the most enjoyable job. But it was my choice to apply to this college, and it was my choice to go into this major in this college. It is not your responsibility to tell me “I should be doing what I enjoy,” and it is not OK for you to try to figure out what I should do with my life. No one knows me better than me. This is the choice I thought would be best.

Lastly, I do not want to be judged for the college I choose. I know I could have gone to a “better” school, or one closer to home, or I could go to one with a “better” program. I chose to go here. I am happy at my school, I am happy to have made the friends I did at this school, and I am happy with the courses at my school. I am proud to represent this school and to spend my free time on the beach. I am proud of myself for choosing to go as far away as I did for college, even though I miss my home. I am happy where I am with the knowledgeable professors I have, and although at first it was hard to get used to this new environment, I am happy now.

You are allowed to make your own decisions, but please stop judging mine. Enjoy your own life and enjoy every decision you choose to make. Be happy where you are, or where you are choosing to go, because you are the only person who knows exactly what you need.

From,

Someone who is tired of being judged