If you think you’re not on the right path right now, you are. If you think that you’re not doing enough right now, don’t worry. You’re right where you need to be.
I think that we spend way too much time comparing ourselves to other people in school. We see someone taking five AP classes or we see child actors making history while they’re still young. It makes us jealous because we keep thinking to ourselves, “Why isn’t that me? That kid is one year younger than me; how did they do that?”
We constantly worry about how this will affect our future too. We worry that if we aren’t taking the hardest classes then we’ll never get into college!
If this is you, then you need to slow a few paces and take a breath.
Just because someone else is taking a bunch of AP classes or is getting a job somewhere that requires some sort of skill doesn’t make you any less smarter or less “cooler” than them.
We all have our own paths. Some people graduate early because that’s just their path. You may graduate after all four years of school are done because that’s just your path. Why should you be concerned about how someone else is doing if it isn’t your path? (This also goes for other people if they judge you for the path you’re taking; they need to worry about themself.)
You don’t need to receive gold awards at five years old to get into a good college. To get into a good college, you simply work hard and take care of yourself to make sure your mental health and personal preferences are in a good place.
You also don’t need to immediately know what your career is going to be when you get older. We’re kids. Why should that be your biggest concern?
High school is supposed to give you suggestions for what your interests might be; it’s not there to make your ultimate decision. You have plenty of options and time to decide what to do. The only reason why it doesn’t feel that way is because of the stress of work and socializing with others to find your people.
Right now, we’re still figuring out who we truly are. You don’t need to worry about anyone else’s path. If someone else is graduating early and getting a high paying job, you shouldn’t immediately use that against yourself and assume that you’re not good enough. Instead, congratulate that person and motivate yourself to achieve your goals.
Everyone’s goals are different, and you don’t need to have the same goals as everyone else. Everyone has different preferences, needs, accommodations, etc. The most important thing right now is feeling comfortable in your own skin and letting your mind be open to possibilities and opportunities. There’s still plenty of time left, so use it how you please.
