Throughout my life, I sat in the passenger seat of a vehicle operated by the expectations of society. In order to reach your destination safely and with guaranteed results, you behave like what you were instructed to and expedite your college degree by skipping out what the world offers around you. As a victim of misdirection and unwanted persistence, I hesitated to speak up and ask for a pit-stop as the frenzy of academics, activities, and societal pressures fogged my desires in life. I wanted to pull over since I knew my end-goal would be clearer after taking a break from this euphoric rush to finish your education ASAP. I knew that in life, this aspiration to do something beyond the norm was slipping by ever so quickly.
November 2017. Driving home from a father-son trip, I opened to my dad that I wanted to do a gap-year. Immediately, he halted to a stop and looked at me bewildered. His addled expression showed his initial disappointment and told me to hold off discussing the topic until I reunited with my mom. Once home, we sat together in a room and discussed my options for the present and the future. After much deliberation and Google searches, we came to a consensus where maybe this gap-year idea was the best avenue for my future.
In just a matter of days, I will embark on an adventure that will heighten my senses to explore boundaries and accomplish personal feats I could not have done in a traditional university. I will be able to drive my own car. It takes an idea to expand into an action and with enough of these actions, cause a sequence of anxious and exciting events! I cannot wait to see what will happen in the next seven or eight-so months. The time is now. Live it while you can.
“The journey toward self-discovery is life’s greatest adventure.” Arianna Huffington
