Edit desk: Take your time

Before even going to college, young people are always told that college is the place to grow, the place where you will find yourself.

Everyone tells you that you will find out what it is that you want to do in college. There are promises that eventually life will come together whether that be at 22 or 40. Even in college, advisers promise that it is OK if students are unaware of their post-graduation plans.

The thing is, some people don’t want to wait or let life figure itself out. Having control and knowing where you are headed can feel powerful.

This power is something I wanted to hold during my college experience. However, that is not exactly what happened.

Junior year, I had a breakdown. I had no idea why I was pursuing my majors, especially after taking an eye-opening class. I began to question who I was, my future, my dreams and felt like my world had come crashing down on me.

By junior year, we are supposed to have it figured out in general. Just a year away from graduation. A year away from going out into the real world. A year away from using a hard-earned degree.

Some people are just finishing up their major requirements by junior year, yet I sat with three classes left in both of my majors, ready to throw everything away.

Scary, right?

How we can spend so much time invested in something and feeling like we are growing or learning from it just for that one class, moment, professor or person to make you question it all. We think that we are on the right path and that we know what we want, yet all it takes is that one moment.

I went to multiple people for advice: my adviser, family members and my best friends. Nothing. I was still in the same position possibly even more confused about what to do after teaching to each of them.

“Keep going, you’re almost there,” some of them said. “It’s OK. You can always go to grad school or figure it out later,” others said.

I had everything planned out. Graduation plans, the job after that, when I would get married and have children.

Control.

While I had accepted the fact that it was okay to let life take its course at times, I also realized I could not live on the edge waiting for things to happen. I had to make them happen. It is my future after all.

Things started falling apart.  

And so I wished I would have been more careful and critical when selecting the major I did. Now I am a junior and feel that I have to finish these majors. Yes, there is grad school, but I could have been studying something I was much more passionate about from the start of my college career.

For people who are deciding what they want to do, take your time in the beginning to evaluate your choices. Read through every major. Take different classes. Ask older students what classes they have taken and liked so that when you are done with your college experience you will feel like it was worth it in all aspects.

Plan out your schedule and four years carefully so you are making the best of your experience and feel accomplished at graduation.