A Writer? Sure About That?

What do you really want to achieve in life? 

Go to college, get a degree from your dream job that you’ve had since you were thirteen, and finally make a name for yourself. 

Well, sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn’t. But sometimes the universe has its own way of completing that list for you; many obstacles of varying degrees try their best to tear you down, make you question everything, and even make you believe that quitting would be the best answer. 

When it comes to navigating myself through life and society, the path hasn’t been easy. For me, it seems like society has laid out a set of ground rules: graduate high school at 18, get a degree by 21, maybe take a year off to ‘discover yourself’ before stepping into the real world. That, however, isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. While I did graduate high school at 18, everyone I knew was getting accepted into their perfect dream schools when I started applying later than I had intended. The pandemic had caused me, like many, to feel more laid back and complacent about time. It’s difficult to be aware of time passing when we’re all stuck inside for months on end. This lack of concern around time passing, however, led to choosing a slower pace of school, which was ultimately the right decision for me.

A turn of events

So in the end, I decided to get an associate’s degree at Seminole State College near Orlando through a global pandemic, one class at a time. I had originally intended to go to school for archaeology. Wasn’t that my passion? One course in the subject, and archaeology probably wasn’t for me, more exciting in theory than in practice. So, I eventually found myself in their English program, learning how to become a stronger writer with each class. Through this path, I found I actually had a passion for writing. I wanted to learn more about the craft, and I was excited about the prospect of turning this work into a career.

After finishing my associate’s degree, I transferred nearby to the University of Central Florida (UCF) where I acquired a bachelor’s degree, pursuing my new dream of becoming a professional writer. The decision to first go for an associate’s degree isn’t ultimately what I wanted, but I’m so glad I did. I wouldn’t have made the friends I did if I hadn’t gone to a community college first, and the opportunity allowed me to explore both archaeology and writing more easily before transferring to UCF. Even now, I’m so happy that my decision to go to two different schools in my home state paid off. I love the direction I took. 

Feeling that I took a different path from everyone else’s, I’ve experienced why everyone doesn’t follow the same path in life. Growing up in a Catholic school surrounded by rich kids who I don’t even talk to anymore, I’ve molded my own life in the way I need, and so have they. With people traveling to different countries, taking a gap year, attending parties, I know in my gut I remained true to myself. 

I worked incredibly hard to get where I am today. And even though it took a bit longer, I’m happy.

Being in my mid-20s also comes with the “cost” of what society expects from me. Some my age have a house by now, are in a committed relationship, even getting engaged. Sure, these all are wonderful goals to set and great milestones to achieve, but I know that it’s not my time yet.

Time is on my side

I will achieve those goals one day, but the universe is taking its time with me. My dream to become a writer and get paid for my work is still there, but I’ve also considered editing others’ writing. Regardless, in searching for a job to put my degree to good use, I applied to countless places. After a while, I began to lose hope. I almost gave up on this idea of writing, or even editing, entirely. It took over a full year before hearing back from the wonderful community at The Sentinel by Yuvoice. With a handful of personal stories out in the world, I’ve never felt more satisfied than I do right now. My voice with real-life events is out there now, and the feedback from family and friends has been fantastic. 

So, when it comes to deciding on what to achieve in life, crossing off any goals that need to be mastered, taking my time was the best option. Despite feeling behind most of the time, no one cares how long it took me to do anything. What matters is that I took this bumpy ride at my own pace along with taking the time to enjoy the little moments in life. This ride included my solo trip to Canada for the first time last year, where I got to enjoy a new side of nature that I had never seen before, along with visiting a dear friend who I had not seen in almost 10 years. 

Despite what society expects of me, I feel like I have subverted its expectations. I know I proved some people wrong, showing what I am truly capable of. Over the past year, I believe that the stepping stones that I’ve made for myself are leading into something bigger. 

Only time will tell.