It’s that time of the semester when homework assignments, projects, and the dreaded final exam of every class is upon you. It’s the end of a long semester and with every ounce of concentration and creativity, students must try their best to finish the semester strong. In times like this, it’s important to remember why you are putting yourself through these long nights and stressful days. Having a clear dream in mind for life after school is vital for any student. It’s the motivation we need to crank out one more paper when all we want is sleep. However, before these dreams can be fully formed you have to know yourself well enough to plan a degree that will make you happy for the rest of your life. How do you know what career will make you happy if you still do not fully know yourself?

I graduated high school four years ago and very few of my high school classmates have graduated with the degrees they thought they would. Many of them have had to change their majors and this has prolonged the time it would take for them to graduate. One of the saddest things for me to see is friends who have graduated with a degree they do not want but believe it will give them the most financial success. I have seen this happen to many people who take on college without knowing what they want out of it from the beginning. Their struggle to push past the feelings of being unmotivated seems to be a lot harder than it is for people who know what they are working so hard for.

Many of my current fellow classmates have shared with me that they are in school now because they did not know what else to do. This seems to be a common trend for many high school graduates. There seems to be an unspoken social rule that after high school everyone should go to college immediately, even if they are not sure what degree they are going for. Often times when it is time for a graduated high school student to decide his or her college major, the student is at an age in life when he or she still does not fully know him or herself and can rarely make a career choice that will fit his or her personality.

To mitigate this pitfall, high school graduates should take some time to travel before they decide on a life career and get to know themselves better. Getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to figure out who you are and how you fit in this world. By leaving the place you were born or grew up, you are leaving everything and everyone that is familiar. Traveling allows you to go somewhere completely new and to meet people who have no idea who you are. It gives you the freedom to define yourself the way you would like to be defined.

When our hometown comforts, family, and friends are taken away, we are left to figure out who we really are. I believe the best way we can do this is by traveling. It puts us outside our comfort zones and forces us to think about who we want to be friends with and what we really like to do in our free time. It is a beautiful thing when we know what we like and do not like. When we do what we are passionate about, we find contentment and motivation that leads to fulfilled lives!

I speak from experience on this topic. After I graduated high school, I left my hometown and pursued missions around the world full-time. I had many wonderful “out of my comfort zone” experiences that helped define who I am outside of my familiar settings. While doing mission work, I was also able to learn so much about myself and the world by serving others. When we look for ways to help others around us, it helps us know what is truly important in life and what is not. I met many people who taught me how precious and short life is. I learned to value and love the people I have in my life and found that what I’m passionate about is helping others.

My world has been expanded and I have gained a better perspective of what truly matters in life. While traveling I figured out what career I wanted to pursue, one that would enable me to pursue my passions, and I am now attending school full time to achieve it. I have a clear goal in mind and I am stopping at nothing to achieve it.

By traveling and working with others, I have settled on a degree in social work to help me pursue my future life and career goals. I have a deep determination that pushes me forward past any academic obstacle in school. I want to make the most of my life and by doing my best in school I am working towards this goal of being able to help others. If you feel stuck or unmotivated right now, I would highly recommend traveling and serving others. I guarantee you will learn so much about yourself and the dreams you have deep inside of you.