Figuring things out

Lost in a sea of choices.

When I first started looking into college, I didn't know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. Three quarters of the way through my freshman year at Auburn, I still don't know what I want to do.

The University expects you to choose a college and declare a major when you are submitting your application--long before you have even left high school. How can an 18- or 19-year-old be expected to know what they want to do with their life?

I haven't done enough, seen enough, to have an answer. As much as I like pretending I know everything (and as much as it pains me to say this), I have no idea how the world works or where I fit into it.

I've only lived 25.59840426 percent of an average American male's lifespan! My choices now will affect the other 74.40159574 percent of my life.

I looked online. I looked under my bed. I asked people I knew. I asked people I didn't know. But in the end, people can't tell you what you will be good at or what you will enjoy doing.

After engaging in much deep introspective meditation, I came to the conclusion that I was just as lost as when I had started out.

One of the problems I faced (and continue to face) is that I enjoy both mathematics and the liberal arts. Physics, then, seemed like a perfect compromise. No, wait, that isn't right.

Nonetheless, I think I've found a happy medium for now.

I am indeed a physics major, but I work at the campus newspaper where I get to do graphic design and write.

I still have no idea where this will take me.

Hopefully it will be some place nice where I am doing something I enjoy, but the path is unclear.

Even if I graduate with a bachelor's in physics, I will still have lots of choices (and probably a good bit more schooling) in front of me.

Choice is a good thing, but too much choice can lead to heads exploding.

I wish that it was easier, but I guess no one ever said that life would be easy.

Except for some people. I'm sure some people have said that.