You Don't Have to Live the Life You're Expected To

With my college graduation coming up, many people around me are in that often terrifying phase of interviewing and trying to find a job. As for me, I'm preparing for South Africa and moving abroad.

Talk about going down a different path.

In recent months I've decided to embrace the untraditional rather than fight it. Why? Because traditional is boring and predictable and I'm not much of a fan of those things. They say routine is lethal, and in many cases, it very much is.

I was a senior in college in 2012. About to go into my last semester of college, preparing myself for job hunting and trying to ignore the terrifying reality of finding a job with a useless degree. I slowly came to the realization I could not accept the reality of whatever state my life would have been as a post grad at that time. Torn between wanting to be done with school but not wanting to be stuck in a dead end job for the rest of my life, I knew I had to make a change. I knew I had to change my major, my school, the city and state that I lived in.

At the time, I'm sure many thought I was crazy. I knew graduation day would bring a temporary relief, then a crippling depression is trying to create a life with a degree I hated and was not proud to have. I'm sure many people didn't agree with my choice. You graduate college in 4 years, get a job, work until you are 65. Done. That's it. It's just what you do.

Of course I was terrified, not knowing if it was the right thing to do, but I also knew I couldn't settle for where I was or the degree I would have had.

So here we are. Over 2 years later and now I'm about to graduate college...once again. This time though, I'm in a much better place with a degree I'm proud to get.

Of course being in college for 7 years..isn't exactly the traditional way of doing things. And for so long I fought that but recently have grown to accept it and more importantly embrace the untraditional.

Travel has taught me to embrace that. A week after I graduate, I'm off to South Africa. That's not exactly the standard way of doing things, either. And then London for at least a year, and then? Who knows.

What I do know is that whatever and wherever I end up, it doesn't have to be the path everyone else goes down. It doesn't have to be approved by anyone else but me. If my family doesn't approve of whatever country I'm in or whatever I happen to be doing for money, then okay. But if I am happy and fulfilled, then that is what matters.

Because from my travels, I know travel is something I can't give up. Or choose between. Or be satisfied with 2 weeks vacation a year to quench my wanderlust. Country hopping around the globe and making money from whatever source you can isn't exactly the life society experts you to lead but here is the thing: you don't have to live the life you're expected to. Some fight it, and yet some embrace it.

If I'm not happy, then what else matters? If I am not fulfilled, what else matters? If I'm not passionately excited about life, what else matters?

I have no idea what is coming after London. No clue where I'll be in the world, where home base will be, where I'll earn money. That doesn't scare me though. Instead of letting it scare me, I let it inspire me. After London I have a freedom many do not get to have: the choice to do whatever I want wherever it is around the world that I want to do it. To have that control...to take that leap and choose to have adventures across the globe if I so choose to.

You don't have to live the life you're expected to. Because life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all. As for me? I'm checking off the 'daring adventure' box.