Those who are Seniors now and will graduate this upcoming May 2020 know the struggles of how high school won’t end fast enough. The feeling of how the final year can go by fast, but not fast enough. For those who graduate in the next year or two, there are some things you need to know before taking the next step into “growing up”. Everyone will tell you no matter how ready you think you are, before you know it, you’re packing your bags and moving away. Starting an unknown life and a new beginning.

During freshman year, it seems like an eternity before you have to worry about college and how your senior year will be. What classes can I take? What career do I want to do? What interest do I have? All these questions and more will never go away, even when you have an idea of how your life will turn out. There are two types of people: Those who have had their whole life planned out since they were basically born, whether that was to become a doctor, a writer, or a musician. Then there are others who have no idea what they want to do, they feel unprepared for their future and fear they will never make a decision.

The worst part about today’s day and age, are students who think that once it comes to their senior year, they have to have their life planned out. This is a fabrication. There are young adults who still haven’t found their career, going through life and seeing new opportunities until they finally come across something they enjoy. Being a Senior in high school means nothing. You’re just a 17 or 18 year old who is finally leaving general education schooling, and possibly going into a career starting college.

If you are a student who does not have a clue on what they want to be, that’s fine. No one is making you choose now, and, in fact, it’s ridiculous for most schools to expect people to know who they want to be for the rest of their life. The minds of 17 and 18-year-olds aren’t programmed to understand their true passion, because their brains are not fully grown. Graduating is just a piece of paper that shows you got your high school education and are able to work and go into college. All this paper does is show you have some sort of education in order to help you get a job, but the only thing that makes you grow in life is doing what needs to be done. Getting life together and living it to the fullest without regret.

Again, not knowing what you want to do is perfectly fine, but if this is the case, college is probably not for you. What’s the point of wasting money and changing careers and majors when you don’t know what you want to do? Instead, use this time of freedom to get a job, travel around the world and search for opportunities in life. Don’t be stuck in Kentucky, there is more than just the Bluegrass and horses. Travel to other states. Share an apartment with roommates to help pay for rent. Live in another city. Whether that’s New York, or little Tybee Island, Georgia. Exploring is the best way to find what best suits you because then you finally find yourself.

Change is not easy for everyone, even those who claim they can handle it. Change is something that is unknown and not easy to come by. Taking chances and not knowing the outcomes. That is the point of leaving high school. For a chance go out and explore things that others have yet to experience.

Go to college, or don’t. The choice won’t be easy, but the experience is worthwhile. Find yourself and do what you love, but always remember, you’re never stuck in one place. Change things up. Write your own story.