Paving your path

Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST

By Emily Monaco Editorial Staff People spend roughly 13 years in school before graduating from high school, and then they are expected to go on to college or university. That's what was pushed on me and my brother growing up. Most people were told that if they went to college and graduated in four years, they would get a good job. Well, that's not how it goes anymore. According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2022, only 62% of students finish their degree or certificate program in six years. When I enrolled in the fall of 2020, I begged my parents to let me take a gap year, but their expectations pushed me right into one of the most difficult periods of my life as a student. How was I supposed to graduate in four years when one was in the middle of the pandemic? Online learning was so hard. I was commuting for one class a week, and working all at the same time. I nearly failed out of college that first semester. It wasn't until I met with my advisor that things started to change. She told me about how she took time off from her degree and didn't go back until after she was married. I thought, "You can do that?" Yes, you can! I felt such relief. I had an option to take a break and figure out if I wanted to go back at all. I took the spring semester of 2021 off to work and figure myself out. I then decided that I would be going back that fall to pursue my degree in studio art. I had a roommate, and I made some friends. There was still COVID masking and all that, but regardless, I felt happier and more prepared given the choice to go back on my terms. College isn't for everyone. Nowadays, more and more people are opting to go into trade careers. The societal expectations of going straight to college after high school are unrealistic and outdated in the world we currently live in. My brother tried to go to college after deciding to take a break from being a plumber. After he tried for a semester, he realised it wasn't for him. He's happier and probably better off with his own goals and advocating for what he wants to do. He's taking his time trying to find himself - that is so important for anyone entering their 20s. I loved college because I love to learn and meet new people. I will be graduating in just a few weeks after five years at Framingham State University. Five years is a long time when you're an 18-year-old, but now I realize that wow, did things go by fast. It was hard watching my other friends graduate from their colleges and universities within four years, especially when we all entered at the same time. But that doesn't mean I am not as smart as they are or there's something wrong with me - it just means that I took a different path. There is no one right way to go to college or to get a job. Currently, some people have two to three jobs to support themselves, and people who graduate from college don't always get jobs within their fields afterwards. Whatever you decide to do, whether that be college, trade school, or maybe you just start working at an entry-level job, you should be proud of yourself. Be proud of how hard you work and be proud of all you put into what you do. Only a couple of months ago did I think I was going to be completely done with college and that I didn't want to go into my master's degree straight away. Things do change, and now I'm working on applying to grad school for next spring. My mother didn't get her master's until a year or two ago. It doesn't matter when you go - if you go. What matters is that you know who you are and what you are doing is going to make you happy. Do it on your own time and at your own pace. If you're going to take anything away from this article, my very last one, know that there is no linear path for you. You are the one who paves your path.