Life As I Know It
Why do people always expect school leavers to have their life figured out at only 18... kind of an impossible task if you ask me.
Venturing out into the world isn't as easy as everyone makes it out to be. The movies main characters always have a massive dream that seems impossible but they achieve in the end. Seeing how confident they are with what they want to do with their life often leads me to feelings of jealousy and self-doubt. I understand not everyone knows what they want to do with their lives and I happen to fall into the unknown category, but should there really be so much pressure to have our whole life planned out by the time we finish school?
It is becoming increasingly common for people to take a 'gap year' after graduating from collage to experience the world through travel, work, time with friends and family and etc... Some people need this extra time to suss out what they are really passionate about. I for one couldn't think of anything worse then waking up knowing I have to to spend 8 hours at a job I hate but am forced to continue doing because of a rash decision I made fresh out of collage. This is a life changing decision and shouldn't be taken lightly. I find my parents are very opinionated about what I should and shouldn't do when I finish school. My dad for example wants me to go into Horticulture and strongly disagrees with a gap year where as my mum wants me to go into Paramedicine and get a job. I how ever am undecided. I know I have been influenced by my parents but also my my friends. I would love to take a gap year and really step out of my comfort zones, get a job, explore the world and make new friends but am probably going to go to university and study something that I haven't actually decided on yet. My dream would probably be to save up for the first part of the year and then go to some camp like Camp America or Muskoka Woods. Even to go stay with relatives in London would be awesome!
There is so much pressure from society to go to University or get a job. To me they make it seem like an ultimatum. In fact there are so many other possibilities that aren't so well known. It seems to be looked down upon to get an apprenticeship (maybe thats just where I live?) or study abroad. I guess living in a small country does limit our options somewhat but not so much that there are only two paths we have to choose from.
As the end of the year draws closer I can't help but think I don't want to leave. Not because I enjoy school that much but more so I dread finally having to grow up. Don't get me wrong I love the independency that comes with it but being forced in to the harsh world make me feel so underprepared. I'm beyond excited to finish school, I have waited all year for this but as my time at school draws to a close (a matter of days infact) I cannot help but wonder what I would change. What I wish I could go back and redo, how I would do it differently and if I had the guts to tell people how I really felt would that have changed how I feel today.