If you're anything like me, you like to have everything planned out. You run on a schedule, you have everything set out in your mind. And if something throws you off your path, it really messes you up.
In elementary school, I wanted to be a fashion designer. In middle school, I knew I wanted to help people. At the beginning of high school, I wanted a career that dealt with math (yuck). Then junior and senior year, I made the decision that I wanted to become a Physician Assistant.
I had gotten into a great program and was so excited and nervous to start college, but I wanted to start saving lives. Then something happened ... this thing called life. Since my freshman year of college, I dealt with family and personal struggles that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. I was unable to perform at my academic best, and therefore I am no longer in the Physician Assistant program. My life shattered in front of my eyes. I started telling myself that I was too stupid, that I never deserved to be in that program, that I didn't try my hardest and that I was meant to be a stupid bum my whole life. Here I am now. A second semester senior, 22 years old, and I still go back and forth on what I want to do with my life. Here's the crazy thing though: That's OK.
I believe that everyone is put on this Earth for a reason. Sometimes it takes us longer to figure out that reason. We all have some kind of passion. And it's wonderful, but maybe sometimes our passion is meant to be our side job. Other times, it might be our whole job, like being a teacher and shaping the minds of children. No one can tell you what you are supposed to do with your life—you have to figure that out on your own. Choosing a major or a career for the rest of your life at 18 years old is very stressful. Then add on the pressure you put on yourself to get through school so you can have a decent paying job, it sucks. College is hard and sometimes you just want to give up, but you shouldn't. We are put on these paths and through these struggles in order to figure out what we are supposed to do with our lives. It's OK if you hate all of your classes, it's OK to change your major four times, it's OK to think "Maybe I'm just not meant for this" and most of all, it's OK to take as long as you need. Not one person in this world learns the same way or achieves their goals in the same way at the same time. I believe that if you don't question your career path at least once, then you're not really in the right one.
Every day, I go back and forth in applying to graduate school for Physician Assistant Studies, which I am currently in the process of, maybe becoming a counselor that specializes in drug and alcohol recovery and my favorite or being a personal nanny for the rest of my life. Come graduation in August, I probably still won't have most of it figured out. But that's OK.
