The Advice I Come Back to When I Feel Behind

The Advice That Stuck With Me 

I’ve heard many great quotes and pieces of advice throughout my life, but only one really stuck out to me. It was during COVID that I felt truly lost and unaware of what my life would be like after the pandemic. I had no plan, no thought, and was just figuring out myself. The one piece of advice that I heard during that time and that has stuck with me whenever I'm unsure about where my life is going is “You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to keep going.” During COVID, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do after high school and where I wanted to go to college.

I was very scared I wouldn't be able to figure out what I wanted to do, but after hearing this advice, I realized I didn't need to know right away; I would eventually figure it out, and I did. I know what I want to do in my professional life, and Rutgers was the best choice I made, but I still feel lost. As graduation approaches, I constantly feel behind on a plan for my future. I felt like everyone in my life had a clear plan for their future, and I thought I was failing at it. Going back to this advance really helped me realize that feeling unsure is very normal, especially in college. 

Why this Advice Matters to Me

What makes this advance so meaningful to me is that it doesn't pressure you to be confident in your choices all the time or have your life mapped out for you. Instead, it gives you the freedom to see that everything happens for a reason, and you learn as your life progresses. As a college student, this mindset is really important to me because of all the pressure everyone gives us to know exactly what we want to do after graduation.

Feeling confused is normal

Neither social media nor LinkedIn helps me feel confident, either. It seems that everyone has their life put together and is confident about their careers, but me. Having this advice stick with me reminds me that progress isn’t about having everything figured out but continuing to show up and try. Even when all else fails, it is still not our fault, and everything will work out in the end.

How I Apply This Advance Today 

Whenever I start to overthink or feel overwhelmed with what I should be doing, I remind myself of this quote. Instead of stressing about the unknown things I will be doing in the future, I focus on what I can control now. This includes finishing my last semester at Rutgers, applying for post-grad opportunities, and trying new things, even when I feel nervous. 

I have learned that looking back on my accomplishments, I am proud of where I am, and I shouldn't worry so much about the future. Growth happens during confusion, not when everything is planned out for you. As long as I am moving forward, learning, and putting effort into something, I am doing enough. 

It is normal to not know whats going on

Reflection 

The advice “You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just have to keep going” has changed how I view the unknown. Now I see it as a sign that I'm growing rather than being behind. I don't need to know all the answers all the time, but I just need to keep reminding myself to just keep going. If anyone feels similarly, just know that not knowing is not always a bad thing; it's okay not to know everything you need to know about your future. 

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