“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
-African Proverb

At this point in time, us college-bound seniors are faced with some of the most difficult decisions of our life. Where will we go to school, what will we study and how in the world are we going to pay for it?

These are questions that should not be taken lightly, nor should they be decided by anyone else. But it has become far too acceptable for students to make the easy choices, let other people affect their decisions and follow the crowd without considering what is actually best for them and their future.

As a senior who has yet to make a final decision about my college plans, I’m finally realizing that I don’t have to do what my friends and parents want me to. In the end, I will be the one living in a new community, attending classes and paying off student loans, so I might as well make sure I’m happy with where I go. As much as I want to go away to a school with a picturesque campus and phenomenal sports teams to have the fun-filled college experience with all of my friends that I always pictured, I realize that it could inhibit me from reaching my future goals.

During this crucial time in our lives, I urge my fellow classmates to think about where you would like to be in ten years and how exactly you’re going to get there. Seriously evaluate if the track you’re on will get you there or not.