From an early age, we are asked what we want to be when we grow up. Asking this question to young children is a normal and fine thing to do, but it gets tougher when the child has grown older and the question now becomes where are you going to college? Or, what is your major?
High school was a preparation for college but it really only prepares you for the work load, not much else. It does not prepare you for making tough decisions and making decisions that are your own. There is pressure from parents, teachers, friends, to know what you want to do before graduating high school, or at least to figure it out in college. But what happens when you still do not figure out what you want to do while in college?
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When applying to college, which was something I knew I always wanted to do, I chose a school based on a prediction of what I thought I wanted in a college. I have enjoyed my time in college, and I have learned a lot and grown as a person, but it was not exactly what I thought it would be like. I planned on graduating in four years, at the end of next year, but I did not realize how hard it really would be to graduate.
Freshmen year of college is an odd year. For many people it is their first time away from home. Whether one goes to college close to home, or travels across the country, it is quite an adjustment. This is something we are all aware of. For some, they have a hard time staying motivated and on top of their school work. College is a time when we are starting to learn who we really are, and that is hard to do on top of school, work, extracurriculars, and having a social life. We are young and this is many people’s first taste of freedom. But this is also a time when we have to learn how to be an adult and take care of ourselves. It can be difficult to stay focused on developing a career when many do not have any clue what they even want to do yet.
The second year of college, depending on the person, is a time when some are figuring out more about what they want to do, but wasting a lot of time on unnecessary classes or simply not really learning anything from class. Memorizing facts, browsing the chapters, and pulling projects together last minute. It is up to each person to complete their assignments and it is their fault if they waited until the last minute; but it is hard to want to do the work for classes that one is not passionate about.
Everyone has a different way of learning, and not everyone is meant to go to college right out of high school, or ever. Pressure should not be put on people to go to college, but rather to achieve their dreams. Not everyone who is happy and achieved their dreams went to college.
Third year of college and no longer living in the dorms. Classes get tougher and at this point it is about getting passing grades and graduating. Some graduate with degrees in fields that they are not passionate about because one cannot just flip flop between degrees until one finds the degree most suited for them, at least not more than a couple of times. After college, degrees are not being utilized, or some are unhappy working jobs in fields they are not passionate about.
The alternative is dropping out of college after spending a few years on tuition and taking unfavorable classes. It may be better to try college first to know if it is right for you, since it is not for everyone. It is unfortunate how expensive tuition is, considering it is the norm to go. Students are encouraged to go to college, but for some people, it is just not affordable.
Not all interests and passions are discovered while in school. Some people have to go out in the world to learn who they are. The desire to explore and see the world cannot be squashed by a lecture by a professor.
I always knew I would graduate, but there have been times when I wish I could take a break from school to focus on myself and see new things, and I was discouraged. Friends of mine who have done this are much happier. At the end of day, being happy is what matters most. You have to do what feels right for you. I wish that it would not be ingrained into our heads as the norm to go directly to college because there will always be an opportunity for an education. We are only young once and if our desires are not filled now, there may be resentment.
I urge this: do what you feel is right for yourself, but do not ever give up on making yourself happy and achieving your dreams.
