For a whole lifetime we are told, “You have plenty of time to think about your future.” Little did I realize how soon this phrase would cease to be true. I am now halfway through my tenth grade year and instead of favoring the fun professions like dolphin trainer or waterpark tester, I have been told that my ideas have to begin to narrow to something more practical. This is a conversation I have just recently had with my older cousin who is graduating this year because apparently this realization snuck up on her too. I have always been one to plan every aspect of my life, whether right or wrong, I always have a plan. But for the first time in my life I have been put into a position where I have no earthly idea what I want to do with my life and I have no hope in the world to figure it out anytime soon. So for all of my compulsive planners out there, this goes out to you.

College visits will start this summer, but how are we meant to choose if we don’t even know what we are going to do once we get there? I have decided (after months on end of pointless worrying) not to decide. High school is not perfect but I would rather stay here than pick my future now with my incapable teenage mind. I like to write. Actually I love it and I love learning Spanish too, but colleges don’t care what subjects you are interested in. They only care that you are versatile and are capable of getting good grades in everything regardless of all nighters and self inflicted torture we call advanced placement.

After much consideration, I have decided not to blindly plan my future. I have decided that I will only worry about what is currently in front of me, which is honestly terrifying, and to enjoy high school while I’m here. So as of right now, if you ask me about my future plans, I will tell you they are still to be the irrational “Olivia, dolphin training extraordinaire.”