Hair up in pigtails, mismatched clothes, and a smile on my face, it was a Friday in 4th grade. Excitement filled the elementary school hallways not just because it was a Friday but also because it was a reading with the Eagles (I went to Allen at this time) Friday. It didn’t matter to me that the football boys and cheerleaders picked to read a kindergarten level book that my 4th grade reading level clearly surpassed, all that mattered was that I was in the room with super stars. I was distracted by the glittery red white and blue cheerleading uniforms and the fact that while standing up, I had to bend my neck allllll the way back just to talk to the giant football player. After they left, throughout the rest of the day, my conversations consisted of the two coolest people I had ever met and how I couldn’t wait to be just like them when I grew up.

Well, here I am, a junior in high school. I sit back and remember those Allen Eagle Friday’s and chuckle at the little (yes, even littler than I am today) 4th grade version of myself. Because as a 4th grader from the outside trying to get in, all high school looked like was pure fun and joy. And then I chuckle some more as a now junior looking back on my innocent, naive 4th grade self. You see, what those super star football players and cheerleaders don’t tell you is that it’s not just high school that they have to deal with, it’s college too.

For juniors and seniors planning on attending college, there’s the double challenge of getting into the college of choice while surviving the final years of high school. For some, this is an easy task for they’ve known their college destiny for a long time coming. Whether their parents have raised them towards their native college or they have siblings who have attended, they already know where they will be going. A large number of my peers seem to make up this type of profile.

But fear none, there are still several that have no idea where they are planning on going (even among those that have to make their decision by May 1 next week!). And it is I who falls under this category. It’s beyond  frustrating when you have friends that talk about their certainty on their future school while you’re just trying to finish high school, but it happens. What I have to remind myself is that keeping your options open is a good thing. I still have a year to decide where it is exactly that I see myself being for the next 4 years of my life and thats okay.

Some people know exactly where they want to go, some people have an idea, and some just have no idea at all. The thing to take out of it is that no matter what category you fall into, you’re going to be there with others by your side. And hey, at least we are all planning on continuing our education somewhere…right? 😉