Emma A.
Photography by Alyssa Jackson
If you are reading this, it is okay to not know.
I always think that I have to know my next steps. In my career, in my school work, what I am doing later tonight, what I should say next in a conversation, etc. However, it really is okay to not know. If you are always worrying about what comes next, you’ll never be able to appreciate what you have in the moment and grow from it.
There isn’t a rulebook for being human. Sure, we’re supposed to follow laws and have good morals, but there are no correct steps to life. I’m always comparing myself to people around me, wondering if I’m supposed to be taking this class, applying to internships, or going out, but in reality, it’s your life, and you are not supposed to be doing anything.
Despite what your brain might tell you, you do not need to plan out every minute of every day. It is okay to not know what to do next. Life is not a step-by-step manual that comes with your television set. It’s complex, it’s nonlinear, it’s confusing. It is okay to not be doing what your friends are doing or what you should be doing at your age. It’s actually more normal not to know than to have every step of the way planned out. Where would you have room for growth?
Whenever I panic that I am unsure of what comes next, I try to remember that what I am stressing about now will seem so minuscule in a few minutes, hours, or even years. I’m writing this letter to tell you that if you have no idea what comes next for you, whether it's long-term or short-term, it is truly going to be okay. Life works in funny ways, opportunities, plans, and people come out of nowhere, in the best way.
So if you're like me, always needing to know your next steps or the plan, take a moment to step back and be where you are. You do not have to know your life plan at the age of 18, 19, 20, or 45; we are all still figuring it out. Trust me, even if someone says they know, they really don’t; we are just figuring it all out together. Give yourself grace; you are exactly where you should be.
Emma A., University of Wisconsin
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at Wisco on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to Wisco students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
