I always thought I would have my life planned out by a certain age — kind of like a blueprint for the rest of my life. Whether that be my career, places I’d live, vacations I’d take and the people I would meet. However, I knew I was different when I realized I didn’t want to live the same textbook life as most people and that idea terrified me.
I thought my twenties would bring me much more clarity than daydreams as a child. They only brought me more confusion about all my choices so far. I’ve learned that it’s okay.
Society has pressured us to make a career choice by the time we’re 22, buy a home a few years later and settle down all before 30.
Sometimes that doesn’t have to be the case. It’s uncommon to see someone ditch the life that they’re used to living to chase after their passions, but I feel like I might be doing that soon.
I’m almost halfway through my senior year of college, and recently, I figured out that the career path in nursing I had once chosen isn’t quite meant for me. I discovered that I might have other interests outside of healthcare that I might want to discover.
It took me some time and experience and after talking to others to come to this decision. I have so much respect for everything the College of Nursing has taught me and all the people I met, but throughout my time there, I kept trying to convince myself that I had passion for this field when I didn’t.
I’ll use my knowledge and skills and everything that I have gained to my advantage. While this may seem like a rash decision that I never planned on making, I like to think of it more as an adventure.
I am going to toss that blueprint I had made for what my life would be like because while it would’ve been easy, comfortable and safe, it wouldn’t get me out of my comfort zone. I need to find something challenging, that comes with struggle but adventure, and ultimately a great reward.
However, it’s the journey that matters and not the destination. Right now that journey is still going on for me, going into unknown terrain compared to the safe charted path I once had planned out.
I’ve decided to stay in the city as opposed to moving back home to the comfort of the suburban house I grew up in. I had never planned on moving out until recently when I realized that getting out of my comfort zone would be good for me.
I feared the sudden change I would experience of actually being on my own and not having the security of my parents or college. I know it’s going to be different at first. However, I would rather look back on this as a journey and something different than go back to what I’ve always known.
After I graduate, some of my plans include doing solo traveling.
I have always been an avid traveler and I crave adventure. I realized that I don’t need to find people who have the same thirst as me and explore on my own.
I don’t know what I want to do in terms of my career. But I know that I want to be a leader and not a follower. I still want to see the world.
I am going to meet so many people throughout the course of my life. Some people will stay and some will go. However, I know I’m going to learn something from each and every one of them.
I don’t know where or when I will settle down. Maybe I’ll keep moving or maybe one day I’ll decide that I want to stop. Wherever and whenever I decide that, I know it’s for me and not for society to accept.
I’m creating a story for myself, one I want to look back on and anticipate plot twists, hardships, adventure and most importantly the excitement of the unknown compared to something that is safe, comfortable and predictable. Right now, the story is just beginning.
This story was written by Krisha Patel. She can be reached at [email protected].
