When you graduate from high school, it’s like you were standing on a rock the whole time. This rock guided you and guarded you as you figured out who you could be, what you liked and didn’t like. Then, eventually, when you get older, that rock sort of vanishes from beneath you. You’re falling and falling and you’re terrified. Suddenly you find yourself alone, and the only things that can save you are those ideas you found or developed while you were back on that rock. They’re floating like balloons with a long and sturdy string, just waiting for you to grab one or more of them and hold them—claim them as your own. And, if you grab one of the stronger strings, a string that really fits you and is good for you, it can carry you to the other side where you can then make a new rock to stand on.
Don’t worry if you don’t like the first string you grab. There are many options and all the time in the world. You always will have the entire rest of your life ahead of you, and there will always be balloons, new and old—because new balloons can appear at any time—floating just within reach. Even after you make a new rock in life, you don’t have to stay there. You just have to put your trust in something and, more importantly, yourself.
Don’t let the initial fall scare you so much that you never grab a string, either. Any string will at least carry you somewhere. Believe in yourself. You are strong, and you can find your place in this world. You can make your place in this world. Technically, you already are your place in this world. So, grab a string and explore your life!
—Revamped from a post I made in 2015, when I was exploring the ideas of switching majors, picking up minors, and contemplating frightening life decisions in general.
N. K. Valek: Author 