The world at your feet

People often say: "When you are young, the world is at your feet." Most adults dream away when you tell them you are still a student, thinking back to their college years, back when they were not yet chained to a mind-numbing job. "Cherish it," they say, "as you're having the time of your life". And while I enjoy this time of freedom, this abundance of opportunities feels quite suffocating at times.

I am not the only one already dealing with substantial life questions at this early stage of adult life: "What should I do next? What can I do with this degree? Have I chosen the right degree? What am I passionate about? Can I earn enough with that?" Suddenly, you find yourself in the middle of an identity crisis that you thought you had already survived in high school.

Social media certainly doesn't help us tackle these dilemmas. On the contrary: it pours a big splash of oil on the fire. As you scroll, all the pretty faces, recipes you really must try, workouts to grow your muscles, and mindset coaches make you feel as though everything you have achieved in your short life is minuscule.

So, when people ask me at parties if I already know what I want to do with my future, I almost bite my tongue. If I knew, I would have told you a long time ago! I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. I want so many things: a challenging job, picking up my hobbies again (it's been ages since I last read a book for pleasure), going on faraway trips to discover myself, getting good grades, learning to cook well, spending more time with my family and friends... The list is endless and I often don't manage to do all those things. After a long day of studying, I look forward to a relaxing evening on our familiar sofa instead of taking any kind of action.

Thursday evening, while dancing the night away, I realised why we students crave a blast from time to time. It's so we get to clear our heads and feel as though the world is at our feet.