Make a Decision

Just Do It

Anonymous

The deadline to apply to university was on November 1st. The date never really seemed calendar-worthy seeing as I knew I wasn’t going to apply. I’ve deliberately spent extra time here at John Abbott because the prospect of applying to university and therefore, in my mind, choosing what I was going to do for the rest of my life was intimidating. The impression I’ve always had of university was that it was a place for the highest of learning where they are quite literally pushing the boundaries of knowledge further. Thinking that this means I have to enjoy whatever I study was perhaps a mistake.

The amount of pressure that’s placed (or self-inflicted) on CEGEP students is often understated. For example, adults will often let it be known that they would trade a great deal to be young again and that we should be grateful and excited. I like to think that people who say these things are probably assuming that they’ll take all of their knowledge and experience back with them as well. The awareness that they are going to turn out alright is especially valuable.

We live with a great deal of uncertainty in our lives as young people. I’ve asked myself whether I would end up homeless or in med school by next year and, in truth, both outcomes seem plausible.

We are also uncertain of our own identity, and, as a result, every outcome of every action we take serves to define what we know about ourselves and who we are. This also means that what we think we should be doing is always subject to change based on how good we are at something. Stressful, right?

Well, when you look at it that way life certainly does seem daunting. But you shouldn’t look at life that way. You won’t get very far I’ve tried it. With extra time in CEGEP comes a reduced course load and a lot of time to think about these things. Often I’ve feared that I don’t know myself well enough to make informed decisions. But paradoxically the best way to get to know oneself is by making those difficult decisions and turning one’s gaze inward to see how one feels. Then how can I really learn anything if I’m doing everything I can to make the right decision, especially with something as foreign to me as university?

It might be a better idea to make an impulsive decision than a calculated delay. Sure we should analyze these decisions to death
but only after we know the results.

I’ve found that most people make discoveries about themselves through experience and not by researching jobs on Career Cruising (however helpful as this may be).

So for those of you asking whether or not taking extra time in CEGEP helps. Yes, but it won’t necessarily give you the direction you’re after. It might make you realize how to live unencumbered by the weight of the impending future.