I’m a sophomore in college and I’m going through what I suppose a lot of college students are (even though it doesn’t seem like it) where I’m trying to figure out where I belong in life and how I’m going to achieve a true life of my own after college. It’s sort of a confusion phase of figuring out your future, who you are, and what you want from life. I think last year as a freshman I was more lost than ever, but now I feel relatively more comfortable in my new home. I moved from a rural area to a city, so it took some getting used to, and I still am getting used to it in some regards. Either way, I’m trying to figure out where I fit in with society; there’s obviously a life after college, so I’m not especially worried about finding my place in college. In most regards, I feel like I’ve done that. However, the thought of graduating college sounds scary…in the sense that I don’t know what I’ll be doing with myself. I’ll probably get a master’s or ph.D, but even then, most graduate students have found their niche in life by that point and are engaged or close to getting engaged. They also probably have a close social support group aside from family, which I don’t know for sure if I have yet. I would say I have 3-4 close friends, but that’s about it (and it’s not a group of friends, they’re separate friends).
How can I ensure that I find my place in this city? I’m quite school/career focused and individualistic and so is everyone else…so sometimes I find it difficult to make those personal connections that truly give life meaning. I won’t feel good about myself no matter how much I accomplish if I don’t also have the social relationships. Most people I know are in a fairly long-term relationship and seem to have a lot going for them. Whereas I just feel confused and hopeful for a good future. I guess it’s not that I’m not doing anything… I get mostly A’s, have a part time job, and a few good friends but for some reason I still can’t find my niche where I feel comfortable with myself. I’m also single (and have been since I was 16) so having a serious relationship is something I’d like to happen in the next couple of years
Any general life advice? There’s so many potential life paths one can take… I think in some regards I want a fairly tradition life after college with marriage and children…since that’s what I grew up around and what is seen as desirable in my family