If you're in college, there's a pretty good chance you're going to experience feeling lost at some point. (And if not, hey, congrats. Teach me your secret.) You wonder, what's the point? Why am I doing this? Where am I going? It's confusing and disheartening. It can make you feel like throwing in the towel and hiding in bed for a week. It's just not fun. But it isn't uncommon, it won't last forever and it might even be a sign that it's time to step back and reevaluate some of your decisions. If you're feeling lost and listless, check out these five tips to get you back on track.
1. Remember why you started.
When you're in the thick of things, whether it's by being buried under coursework or drowning in your internship, it's easy to lose sight of why you're doing it in the first place. Step back and imagine yourself as the person you were when you began. How excited were you? How full of hope and enthusiasm were you? How ready to achieve your goals? Reach down into yourself and pull that person back to the surface. When you remember why you're pushing yourself through the endless work and challenges, it becomes a lot easier to continue. But also...
2. Ask yourself if this is what you want.
Sometimes we get caught up in doing what we think we "should" do. Reexamine your motives. Are you pursuing a certain path because that's what you've always said you were going to do? Because it's easy? Safe? Or because you're genuinely passionate about it? If you're just doing something out of a sense of duty—to yourself, to your family, to whomever—maybe it's time to reconsider and think about what you really want. However, if you're truly passionate about what you're doing, see step one again. Hang in there. It will be worth it.
3. Switch up your routine.
Day after monotonous day of doing the same things, eating the same things, wearing the same things, reading the same things can become draining. You might start to feel like you're just spinning your wheels but not really going anywhere. Luckily, there's an easy fix: switch it up. Put on that outfit you don't normally wear. Treat yourself to lunch at a new restaurant. Connect with some people you haven't seen in a while. Anything that breaks up your typical routine can give you a breath of fresh air and a new perspective that you can carry with you into other parts of your life (like school and work).
4. Talk it out.
We all know that nothing good comes from repressing our feelings. When we bottle things up, we become powder kegs set to explode at any time. That's not healthy. Just talking about how you're feeling can sometimes be enough to make you feel better, and a friend can offer a new point of view on the situation. When I was feeling like I just wasn't doing enough, my friend balked at me. "Are you kidding?" she said. "You're always working on something! You do so much! You were shut away for, like, five hours straight last night working on projects." Getting a fresh perspective helped me realize that oh, yeah, just because I'm not doing everything someone else is doing doesn't mean I'm not doing enough for me.
But if all else fails...
5. Take a chance. Do something scary.
No, I don't mean jump out of a plane or travel to India with only a sweatshirt and your toothbrush (unless that's what you're into, in which case, by all means, go for it). I mean try something new. Get out of your comfort zone. Try that thing you've always dreamed of, but have been too scared to do. If you've always wanted to be a painter but are scared of failure, sign up for an art class. Do something that makes you feel fulfilled, no matter how scary it may be to take the leap. You might succeed greatly and discover something new about yourself. Or you might fail, and that's okay, too. At least you tried. But I guarantee you'll feel a little bit less lost along the way.
