At this time last year, I was in the midst of my senior year of high school. Life was hectic and I was keeping myself incredibly busy. After all, this was my last opportunity to do all of these things and I wanted to do it right. The most pressing question on my mind, regardless of what I was doing, was simple: what's next?
For many, the answer is written in clear, bold text. Go to college. Simple, right? But for some reason I found myself struggling with the concept. I didn't know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and to be completely honest, I still don't.
So I graduated high school and spent the summer working hard and going on endless adventures all over Montana. And even when July was winding down, I preferred to not think about the future and what was next because right now was so much better. I didn't even want to imagine any more nights spent cramming for exams and wasting hours upon hours listening to lectures. So...as any reckless, uninspired 18-year-old would do, I withdrew from college before it even began.
While many people would consider it lazy, they would be wrong. I work my butt off Monday-Friday and I am always the first to volunteer to go to work on the weekends and to stay late. I don't live with my parents and I pay my own bills. I am surviving quite well and emotionally, I know I am happier than I would be if I was in college.
I am in no debt and I am no longer stressed about what I need to focus on in seven different classes every week. I am happy to go to work instead. I don't know what I want with my life and I don't know where life will take me next but I know I will be okay.
I was worried when I dropped my classes. I was worried that I would regret it and that I would be panicked about the future. I was worried because society told me I needed college to survive. The adults in my life told me I had to go to college and I listened. It didn't occur to me until two days before classes began that I had never thought about what I wanted.
What I know now is that no matter what you choose, it's okay. If you want to go to college, go! If you don't want to, don't! The world doesn't cease to spin simply because you decided to do what is best for you.
Don't do something you don't want to because you are told you have to do it. Don't put yourself somewhere you don't want to be, emotionally, because you took on too much. Don't put yourself in debt because you are spending money on something you find useless.
This life is yours to live. Live it.
