Growing up, I viewed high school seniors and college students as extremely old. Through my eyes, they had their lives figured out and put together. I pictured them having a set in stone plan of how their lives would play out. They were mature and grown up. I thought for sure by then I would have my life figured out as well… Now here I am, a junior in high school, and it all still seems so far away. Although I have slowly begun checking things off my to-do list, such as taking the ACT and looking into colleges, my mind is still a wonderland of possibilities. 

When asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” as a kid I pictured myself as the owner of a bakery nearly every time. From the moment I walked into my first bakery, I was enthralled by the beauty of it. I adored the smell of the butter and sugar. The cozy ambiance captured my attention instantaneously. When I was not daydreaming about becoming a bakery owner, I was fascinated by the idea of interior design. I cannot even begin to count the amount of times I rearranged and redecorated my childhood bedroom. It made me feel accomplished and proud when I could physically see what I had created. 

As I have grown up, I have rediscovered my interests. My dreams and hopes for a career have shifted. I have found that I am interested in things like nutrition and helping others become more intune with themselves. The problem is, the possibilities are endless. I worry that if I choose one path, I will always wonder what my life could have been like had I chosen the other. I worry that if I decide to go far away for school, I will miss my family and wind up moving back home a year later. I worry that I will not be able to make friends and will be lonely. 

As I stress about what could be, I think back to when I was young and watching the seniors graduate. I remember how steady and confident they presented themselves. In reality, they were most likely in the same boat as I currently am. Life has a funny way of working itself out. We all just have to trust the process.