Thursday 5 March 2009

Oh, just planning my life. Nothing big.

This time four years ago, when I was a junior in high school, I was beginning the college search. I was taking the SATs, calculating my GPA, travelling around the country to look at colleges. I was extremely fortunate to have parents who whole heartedly supported my process, but did not try to bend me to what they thought was best. We made decisions together, though at the end of the day it was my call. I ate in different dining halls, talked to different tour guides, and even spent that night at one or two schools. When, a year later, application time rolled around, I knew generally where I wanted to apply. (With one exception: I got halfway through the application for Tufts until I got to the part that asked, "Why do you want to go to Tufts?" I couldn't answer it, and threw away the application. But I digress.)

Now it is the spring of 2009, and a lot has changed. I live in a cozy dorm room instead of my bedroom in my parents' house. My days revolve around class, rehearsal, homework, projects, social activities, and-- recently-- figuring out how to approach the rest of my life.

On one hand, I realise that my direction may change sometime in the next, say, 40-50 years of my life. Perhaps I won't want to have the same job foreverandeveramen. Right now, though, I need to think seriously about what the next step will be. It's no longer the time to be wishy washy. I certainly will not be that 25-year-old asleep on her family's couch.

But that does mean that a lot of decision-making has got to happen in the next year. I need some specifics to be stressed out about this time next year.

And you know what?
I'm really, really excited.

6 comments:

  1. I love your enthusiasm!

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  2. It's so interesting seeing this from the other side. My mom was so excited about this time for me because it was where I was going to make all of THE big decisions about my own life. It scared the bajeezus out of me. (Love the comment about Tufts, by the way.) Now I have a pretty great career, a family, and I don't think I could have imagined it when I was a student at Syracuse. By the way, I thought I wouldn't be the kid on the couch either. Sometimes you end up there, at least for a brief period.

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  3. You sound like such a great kid, so you needn't stress too much. Besides, it'll give you wrinkles.

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  4. No need to stress!! I found you from SITS. It all ways seems to work itself out.

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  5. Your blog is adorable. I had a turtle in my dorm room in college too. It would never eat the turtle food the pet store sold us. We finally threw some tunafish in with him and he gulped it up. His name was Costello...after Elvis... by the way.

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  6. This time 4 years ago, I was about to give birth to my first child. :) As for you my dear, please please enjoy this time. It will fly by. Have fun, but still make good decisions. And I agree, don't stress. Life provides many things to obsess over. Try not to, and enjoy the little things.

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