10 Things To Remember As College Decision Day Approaches | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

10 Things To Remember As College Decision Day Approaches

Adult decisions are hard, take the next chapter step by step.

172
10 Things To Remember As College Decision Day Approaches
Pexels

National College Decision Day is right around the corner, and as exciting as that may be some, for others, it's purely terrifying for others. The transition between irrelevant decisions and seemingly life-altering ones is almost non-existent. Before you know it you go from picking a prom dress to deciding on a college. These decisions matter and it can extremely hard to start making decisions without the constant guidance of our parents. Here are 10 of most important things to remember as you start making these decisions:

1. Follow your gut.

99.9% of the time, you know what the right decision is. Take the time, without others influence, to evaluate how you actually feel. If no one else was involved, what would you decide? You should be most confident in yourself.

2. Sometimes your parents don't know best...but most of the time they do.

Parents know you better than anyone else and considering they are older and wiser, they have a good amount of reason to influence your decisions. Unfortunately, college decision time is filled with emotions and sometimes the wrong advice is given. Remember to talk through your choices with your parents and convey why you made them. Misunderstandings lead to arguments.

3. Set your passions apart.

By nature, humans are passionate people. Don't ignore your passions. College and life for that matter is hard. Pursuing the aspects of your life that you're passionate about will ultimately lead to long-term happiness.

4. Ignore your friend's opinions.

Someone once reminded me of a quote that stated that, "people will always want to see you do well, but not better than them". As harsh as it sounds, this too is human nature, your friends are going to have their own motives and their own reasons for giving opinions. Try to keep perspective when listening to why they feel a certain way. Keep in mind that you're a different person than them with different goals.

5. Don't be afraid to abandon the comfort zone.

High school is one huge bubble. It can be so easy to get stuck in a rut of comfort. There are few times in our lives that allow us to completely start over. If following a dream means taking a risk, you should do it. Who knows what will come out of it?

6. Do your research.

This is huge. As boring as it sounds, reading about Universities, jobs, internships or even other people is instrumental in making wise decisions. It's impossible to make good decisions without being well informed. Save yourself the wasted time and money of any bad choice and do your homework.

7. Listen to those that came before you.

The best judge of an experience is someone who is going through it currently. Talking to friends, visiting schools and listening to other's testimony is so helpful. Before making a big decision, take a moment to walk in those shoes. Can you see yourself there?

8. Make your happiness a priority.

Feelings are a real thing. Being able to distinguish between anxiety and excitement is a must. The feeling you get in the presence of the right decisions should not be ignored.

9. Don't feel the need to rush into a decision.

Regardless of the span, your friends make decisions in, don't feel compelled to follow suit. Take as much time as you need to make the best choice you can. Rushing into something for all the wrong reasons is exactly how you get yourself in trouble.

10. Don't forget that it's pretty tough to mess up permanently.

99% of the time any decision can be undone. There is almost always a way out. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Whatever you choose to do after high school is a huge transition, rely on your support team and understand that mistakes are a part of life.

Picking your college is the first of a good amount of hard decisions. The first few months of at school are filled with life tests and the restructuring of your morals. Try and follow what seems right and remember that you only get to "do college" once, put yourself in the best position possible to do it well. Also, try and maintain a perspective. Very few choices you make today are going to influence your life longterm, putting too much pressure on yourself now will lead to endless uncertainty.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Health and Wellness

To The Cheerful Person On Their Rainy Days, You Are Valid

The world is not always sunshine and rainbows, and you do not have to be, either.

279
pug covered with blanket on bedspread
Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Ask friends of mine to name a quality about me, and one a lot them will point out the fact that I am almost always smiling. I like to laugh and smile -- not to quote Buddy the Elf in April, but smiling is my favorite! It is probably my favorite go-to expression. However, what a lot of people do not see is that I have my down days. I have days when smiling and laughing is a real struggle, or when I have so much on my plate that going out of my way to behappy takes more effort than I have stored in me. Be it a symptom of college and growing up or a facet of life, I cannot always be content.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Struggles of Packing for College

It would be so much easier to just pay someone to do it for you

340
a room with boxes and a window

1. Figuring out when to start

Timing is key, you don’t want to start too early or too late.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

15 Times 'Parks and Recreation' Has Summed Up Your Life

Relatable moments from one of the best shows I have ever watched.

258
parks and rec
Liz Keysmash

Amidst my hectic college career, I always find time for one thing, even on the busiest weeks: Parks and Recreation. This show has made me laugh and has made me cry, but most of all I have related to this show more than I would like to admit.

Here are some "Parks and Rec" moments that relate to life struggles that just about everyone faces.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate
Facebook

April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation is notorious for her "I don't care" attitude. She speaks her mind without caring what anyone thinks of her. Fans love her because she isn't afraid to be herself. April can seem cold and negative, but she's really just fearless and strong-minded. And despite her sometimes harsh words, April truly cares about the people she's closest to. These are all reasons she is the epitome of a college student. April complains whenever she has to do any kind of work, but ends up doing the work anyway. April Ludgate is the ultimate college student spirit animal.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

11 Ways To Live The Best Life You Can

Life is full of twists and turns, but you have to keep going.

76
girl bike

Life is all about twist and turns, sideways and which ways. Nothing is permanent, so we should take risks, and chase our dreams. We are taught at a young age many lessons that will follow us into adulthood. What we aren't taught is how to feel, and how we handle those emotions. We just have to figure them out ourselves, and that's not fun. In my 21 years of living, I have come to know that way too many people can't handle emotions, or the fact that not everyone is dead inside like them. When you're like me, and you have zero control over your emotions, it's hard to feel comfortable around people who aren't so in touch with themselves. As much as I would like to feel nothing at times, I've accepted who I am and the fact that I can cry over practically nothing. So, there are some things in life that you just have to do.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments