What To Do When Plans Change | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

What To Do When Plans Change

When the things you want, are not the things you need.

4
What To Do When Plans Change
Brianne Johnson, Instagram

I have always been a creature of habits and routines, I like to have everything as planned as it possibly can be and any changes must be made in advanced or I struggle to adapt. For most of my childhood I had my future all planned out; I would graduate high school, get accepted to University of Georgia, and become a history teacher whose students would love each and every lesson. As I’m staring at the last few months of my college career I’ve realized that of my three dreams I’ve only officially accomplished the first one and that’s okay. It had always been my dream to go to the University of Georgia; I dreamed of watching my favorite SEC team play between the hedges surrounded by hoards of fellow screaming students and a future UGA alumni sticker to adorn my eventual soccer mom van. These dreams were unfortunately shattered when during my Senior year of high school I got my rejection letter from University of Georgia and truly felt my world crumble around me.

I’m not someone who dabbles in dramatics when it comes to facing adversity or disappointment, I try my best to live by the “get up and shake it off” philosophy but in that moment as I read through the email I had been so sure would be an acceptance I wanted nothing more than to lay down and cry for hours. I’m not going to pretend that I kept a stiff upper lip and moved on quickly, I cried and cried, called myself a failure, and stayed in a stunned silence once I had cried myself to exhaustion. I took a full day to just wallow in grief and then the next morning my family rallied around me and forced me to begin looking for other colleges. I had made the mistake of being confident that I would be accepted and had chosen to not look for any backup schools, my rejection letter came in the beginning of my Spring semester as most colleges were closing up their application availability window. I picked a college that was five hours from home and more importantly as opposite in geography as UGA as I could get.

My freshman year of college was difficult, I was still broken hearted over not getting into my dream school and the college I had chosen while good was just not the environment for my personality. Those five hours from home made me grow as a person, it made me become an adult and realize that it was time to begin relying on myself instead of constantly relying on the familiar at home with my family and friends. I can never say I regret choosing to spend my Freshman year so far from home because it lead me in the direction I needed to go with my education and my personal life, it put the important things into perspective, and was truly a blessing in disguise. I also made friends there who will never know how much they helped keep me from sinking into my own negative feelings.

I do not want this to read as a sob story or a cheesy inspirational self-discovery novel but instead to truly say that whenever your biggest plans fall short it is often because this was the journey you were meant to be lead down. I still have twinges of pain when I remember that I didn’t make it to UGA or even when my plans in my personal life haven’t gone the way I want but I try to shake it off and remind myself that from adversity comes a sense of strength. You are completely valid in your feelings when disappointment and heartbreak comes your way, you are allowed to cry, you are allowed to grieve, and you are even allowed to wallow in all of those things so long as at the end of the day you pick yourself back up off the ground (often with help and support) with your chin held high and decide that this is just a bump in your journey intended to make you grow in ways you never could expect.

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

15 Times "Parks and Recreation" Summed Up Your Library Experience

"I've only slept nine hours over the past four days, so I'm right on the verge of a nervous breakdown." - Leslie Knope

4084
Parks and Recreation excitedly gathered around a laptop at a table in an office setting.

The library. Club lib. The place every college student goes when they want to try and be a productive member of society. Who better to explain your experience than Parks and Rec?

1. When you've finally found the energy to leave your dorm room and walk into the lib like

Keep Reading...Show less
Taylor Swift in orange dress playing a moss-covered piano on stage with bright lights.

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

A Few Thoughts Every College Freshman Has

The transition into adulthood is never easy

28791
Mays Island
Courtney Jones

Today I started my third week of college at Minnesota State Moorhead. I have survived welcome week, finding my classes on the first day, and being an awkward loner in the dining hall. Even though I have yet to be here for a month, I have already experienced many thoughts and problems that only a new college student can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Students walking on a sunny college campus with trees and buildings.

"Make sure to get involved when you're in college!"

We've all heard some variation of this phrase, whether it came from parents, other family members, friends, RAs, or college-related articles. And, like many clichés, it's true for the most part. Getting involved during your college years can help you make friends, build your resume, and feel connected to your campus. However, these commitments can get stressful if you're dealing with personal issues, need to work, or aren't sure how to balance classes and everything else going on during the semester.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

9 Reasons Why Friends Are Essential In College

College without friends is like peanut butter without jelly.

12481
Bridgaline Liberati and friends
Bridgaline Liberati

In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments