Oakland, CA — My high school graduation is just days away. While I’m more than excited to be done with this chapter of my life, I’m getting nervous about the changes ahead.
School is the same year after year. The same set schedule everyday. The same core classes. The same sandwiches and burritos served in the cafeteria.
I’m in the process of college registration — and there’s a multitude of choices. Sometimes I'm stuck. Is this is the right class for me? Wait, what’s the difference between English 121 and English 132?
Whereas high school presented a narrowly outlined path, college exhibits a series of personal decisions.
I begin to wonder if I’m on the right track. It’s not like high school where I just pick a couple electives. I start to worry that I'm making mistakes already.
But when I look at the big picture, all those small decisions don’t seem so consequential. I become less nervous about making mistakes, and more excited about what awaits me next.
Graduating high school is more than leaving a campus. It’s moving on from a structured plan someone else created for me to defining my own path.