Why University Doesn't Have To Be Your 'Peak'

Exam period isn't easy for anyone. It's an odd experience being at university during exam period, it sort of becomes this one big community fuelled by hugs and ice cream. They even brought puppies onto campus so we could cuddle them and try and get some of the stress out. 

Exam period has always been a weird time for me on a personal level because - and this happens every time - I have this sort of breakdown when I think screw it, this isn't even worth it, I'm going to move to Barcelona and become an ice cream scooper or something. But somehow every time I manage to come around, pick myself up and start revising - no matter how painful this is.

University is strange because essentially this is the last part of your life in education, before you are thrust into the big bad world with absolutely NO idea what you're doing, mortgage? How the hell do you pay tax!? Why do we not learn this!? & because it's the last stage of education, I've been thinking of my life and asking myself is this my 'peak', like is this the best it gets, is it all downhill from here? When I ask my relatives about what their 'peak' in life was, mostly they reply with college or university. Which gets me worried. Sure, I'm enjoying university and having fun - BUT I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THE PEAK! What does that give me to look forward to if this is the best it gets? I'm sure that my family sometimes looks back with rose tinted glasses because even now I look back at my last year of high school and think 'hell yeah that was a good time' when in reality I don't think I've ever been more miserable than in that year. So their memories might not be all that accurate, so I shouldn't worry about it too much, right?

I read a blogpost yesterday from a blogger that I follow. She's the same age as me and has just completed her first year at university. And she's just dropped out. She wrote a big blogpost about how essentially it didn't make her happy being in an establishment that takes your money and she'd rather be out there seeing the world - which from an idealistic perspective sounds awesome, a sort of finger up to society - which I'm sure we'd all love to do. And it effected me so much because I admire this girl, and in many ways aspire to be her, especially in terms of her fashion. But this blogpost just made me mad. It made me mad because it insinuated that if you go to university, you're giving up on the idea of being a free spirit, of travelling the world and 'finding yourself'. So I had a big cry, because if there's anything I want to do in this world its travel. & because I missed out on the opportunity to study abroad I had this big breakdown and got myself into the mindset that when I leave university I'll go straight into a 9-5 job and be miserable and then I'll have kids and of course they'll just be a huge burden and I'll never get to go anywhere. But this is just such a ridiculous mindset. Luckily I had my boyfriend there to hug me and put everything into perspective. I'm 19. I moved away from home when I was 18 and became an independent spirit, which was an extremely brave thing to do which none of my friends accomplished. I've already seen 11 countries in my 18 years, which another three happening this summer. University is not a burden, it's a chance for opportunity. And it's my life - I have complete control. Maybe i'll decide that once I finish university I'll take a year out, go explore. Or maybe spend a year in a crappy job so the year after I can travel. Or maybe I'll even go and live in another country for another year - because why the hell not! Or maybe life will have something totally different in mind - the point is that this is not the end of my freedom and I don't think this is my peak. I'll leave university at the age of 21, I'll have my entire adult life ahead of me and I'll come out of university with so much knowledge and experience. Steven reminded me that his aunt and uncle decided to move to Dubai this year, in their fourties. So the fact is that I can do whatever I put my mind to :).

So my advice would be that for anyone out there who thinks that staying in university is a mistake and they'll just end up into a job straight after and miss all these amazing opportunities, life is what you make it. I'm just thankful that when I leave university I will always have a degree to fall back on, not matter what I intend to do/ where I intend to go :)

Amy

xoxo