Set Your Life Goals When You're Young | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Education

Unpopular Opinion: I'm 20 Years Old And Know Exactly What I Want To Do With My Life

It's not impossible to be 20 years old and know what you want your future to look like.

88
https://unsplash.com/photos/nMffL1zjbw4
Unsplash

I am 20 years old. I will be 21 in 10 weeks, 2 days, 7 hours and 19 minutes (but who's counting?). While 20 may be young for most people, in my opinion, 20 is still old enough to know what you want to do with your life. We are getting too old be saying we have no idea what we want to do with our lives and we don't know where our future is taking us. That's BS. We are old enough to have a vision of where we see ourselves in the very near and fast approaching future. We are old enough to have a game plan, to have goals and aspirations.

I am a junior in college. I will be graduating in a year and a half. I have a major and 2 minors and I know where I see myself in the next five years. 10 years. 15 years. Sure, not everything can be predicted and there are things we can't always control, but I have a general sense of where I want my life to head and I have a strong sense of where I see it going in the near future.

Additionally, I am in the process of making it happen. I am doing everything I can at this point to find an internship for this coming summer that can lead me to where I want to be in the future. I am taking classes to prepare me for skills I will need. I am getting involved in clubs and societies that will build my resume. I know exactly where I want to be living and what job I want to be working after graduation.

At the same time, we can't plan for everything. We have to take into consideration we may not always get the ideal job that we want. We may not land the perfect internship. These things aren't always in our control. While it is important to have a plan, know what you want, and work for it, it is equally important to be adaptable. You must learn how to handle failure, adapt and become better from it.

I am not saying everyone should know exactly what they want to be doing in the next 10 years at 20 years old. It's quite alright if you don't have a strong sense of what you want to do and you are still testing the waters. I'm just saying let's put this stigma to rest that we are all only 20 years old and no one should have any idea what you want to do and if you have a plan for your future you are crazy. Yeah, college is a time to have fun, let loose, and enjoy having limited responsibilities before the real world hits. At the same time, college is a time to be getting your sh*t together and figuring out what you are really doing with your life. High school is over. The real world is near. It's not unrealistic to know what you want to contribute to it.

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

It's finally flu season! It's around that time in the school year where everyone on campus is getting sick, especially if they live in the dorms. It's hard to take care of yourself while being sick at school, but here are some coping mechanisms to get you on the path to feeling better!

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

The Battle Between College And My Mental Health

College isn't easy, and I'm afraid I'm not going to make it at the rate my mental health is going.

123
woman sitting on black chair in front of glass-panel window with white curtains
Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

Everyone tells you that college is hard, but they fail to explain why. Sure, classes are hard. Math sucks, and political science can be so boring. But that's not even what's killing me about college. What's killing me about college is my deterioating mental health.

As a college student, I feel as if people don't understand just how exhausted I, and fellow college students are. We have so many things going on, all the time, and sometimes it's hard to explain to people how we feel. Personally...I'm tired. I'm sad. And I'm struggling every single day with my emotions. But the thing is, it hasn't always been this way. I haven't always hated school, so why am I feeling like this now?

Keep Reading...Show less
manager

For the average 20-something, life moves pretty fast. You’ve got classes, friends, relationships, jobs, family, and whatever else we overcommit ourselves with. I probably should have learned to say no to adding more to my schedule a long time ago, but instead here are 11 things that can be more helpful than coffee.

Keep Reading...Show less
Parks And Rec
NBC

Your professor mentions there's a test in a few days and you didn't know about it.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf

Resting b***h face. Defined as a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to. Many of you suffer from this "condition." You are commonly asked what's wrong, when nothing is. What people don't know is that is just your facial expression. Here are some things they wish you knew.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments