College is something almost everyone has at least thought of throughout their lives. Some people start think about it since they are in middle school while others start thinking about it their junior year of high school when their mailboxes get flooded with brochures from colleges you’ve never even heard of. Regardless of where you stand, we can all agree on two points: college is important and college is expensive.
It doesn't matter if your parents have a college fund for you or if you try hard in high school. Life is unpredictable and you just never know what will happen. Some students are fortunate enough to get a full ride to college or somehow their parents have gotten the money to fund your education. If that’s you, you probably won’t be able to relate to this letter. I’m in no way saying that you are not deserving or smart because you can afford college. This letter is simply for the people who, by choice or not, have decided to put themselves through college.
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You’re brave, determined, stressed, inspired and you should be more than proud of yourself. You have the motivation within you to succeed, a spark that will take you far in life. You might not even associate that spark with success, but believe me, it’s there. Maybe you're a first generation college student who is going through the whole college process by themselves. Maybe life just hasn't given you the lucky hand of cards lately. Despite the stress and the overbearing unknown, you have made the decision to continue your education, regardless of the sacrifices that lie ahead of you. Something inside of you has willed you to take the initiative that many people are too afraid to take. That spark inside of you is real. It’s not just part of the metaphor you read on Pinterest.
Every fiber of my being wants to tell you that everything will be alright in the end. Realistically speaking, no one can guarantee the happy endings we see at the end of movies. It’s up to you. Many people like to argue the point that connections and wealth trump hard work and dedication. In the world we live in today, that is somewhat true. However, if you don't have the means to ensure a wealthy lifestyle for yourself, you're going to have to work for it. Complaining about not having those means won’t get you anywhere. Being bitter about your misfortunes or saying that life is unfair is a waste of your time. Time is precious. Don't waste it wishing you had more money, more connections, more whatever. Go out and make it happen. Meet more people. Give yourself a pep talk. Do whatever it takes to to get to the next steps to your dream. Every single person reading this knows what they need to do. I know what I need to do. It’s okay to think things over and reconsider. As I mentioned before, in the end it comes down you you and your determination. But sometimes, you can get stuck in a rut and question your every move.
Why?
Because you just don't know what is going to happen next. Personally, there is nothing more frustration and scary than not knowing if you will make it your dream a reality. And lately, I’ve been in that rut where the unknown became an overbearing weight on my shoulders. I’ve read countless success stories about people who have come from nothing and became extremely successful and I think to myself, I’m not coming from nothing. I’ve been very, very fortunate with my lifestyle growing up. So if they can do it, why am I questioning if i can? Well, I'm not exactly questioning whether or not I can do it because I know for a fact that I can, and I will. Sometimes, I don't realize that there are many ways of getting to see dream. The detailed and defined path doesn't necessarily mean the right one. As cliché as it sounds, sometimes the road less travelled is the one that you’re meant to take. It may not seem desirable at first and the unknown may be even more than you first started with, but in the end it comes down to one major thing: trust. Trust yourself. You know more than you think.
Just through your decision to put yourself through college, you should realize how inspiring you are, how amazing you are, how fearless you are. Many people won’t take the risk to further their education. They will automatically cross the possibilities off of their list either because they don't think their are any options for them or because they seem so out of reach for them. That’s not what you have done. You have chosen to take the risk, sacrifice many, many things, and proceed to attain the one thing people can’t take away from you: an education. Now that you have taken that leap, I challenge you to take one more. I challenge you to question the path you have decided to get to your ultimate goal. There is nothing wrong with questioning it. If it truly is meant to be, you will have reaffirmed it. If you realize that it’s not the right path, then find another path to follow.
That spark within you won’t dim if you choose another path. Maybe once you start walking that other path, the spark will intensify and you will be reassured. But, until that point, trust yourself and never give up!
Sincerely,
A College Student Who Is Putting Themselves Through College & Has Chosen A Different Path
(Who also goes by Yasie Nejad)
