Whether you’re 18, 25, or almost 40, it is perfectly okay to be confused about what is going on in your life. The funny thing about it all is that life is ever-changing. If everything in life was constant, we would all be exceptionally bored.

At 18 years old, I saw myself as a pretty intelligent individual who would go to a pretty impressive university. When I ended up at Thiel, I was extremely disappointed in myself. Sure, Thiel is a wonderful college with so many positive aspects, but it wasn’t anything impressive. Fast forward three years later and I am ecstatic that I chose this small, Liberal Arts College. I never would have guessed I would be so grateful to be a student at such an amazing place, but here I am, happy as can be.

At 18 years old I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I “grew up.” The goal of being a Child Psychologist could not make any more sense to me – it was perfect. Now, I’m a junior in college, with not only one, but two majors. Psychology still has my heart, but I’ve developed this new burning passion for English. I no longer wish to go into the practice of helping children, but instead helping those of all ages. Do I want to be a counselor? Do I want to be a professor? Do I teach Psychology courses or English? The thing that I need to slow down, take a deep breath, and remind myself of is that I don’t need to have all of this figured out right this moment. Once again, it is OK to be a little confused about life, no matter what stage you’re in. Everything will fall into place eventually, and until that happens, patience and understanding is key.

At 18 years old I thought I would be graduating in four years, applying to grad school by the spring of 2018, and be enrolled by the fall. Fast forward a few years, and here I am a year behind schedule. Things didn’t go the way I planned my first two years of college. I got sidetracked here and there a few times, and even had to medically withdraw from my most recent semester of college. Do I know where to go from here? Of course not. Am I scared of what the future has to offer me? Absolutely, but I know that all I can do is keep on pushing forward towards the end goal. If you find yourself “stuck” in a rut, and you don’t even know what your end goal is, that is totally okay! Start small! Evaluate what makes you happy, and do exactly that.

Is it good to have your entire life planned out for the next 20 years? Well, I have to say I give props to anyone who succeeds in doing so, but if you’re one of those people who is clueless when it comes to the future, don’t fret. Life’s endless curveballs throw us off track every now and then, but the only way you can consider it a failure is if you don’t allow yourself to get back on track again.