I'll Never Regret My Decision

It was becoming that time of year again. The heat was cooling off. Vacations were ending. People were going back to school. It was that time of year again, except people didn’t find me off dorm shopping or registering for classes. Instead, I single-handedly was keeping REI in business from my demanding gear list that would have been easily already covered by someone who went camping.

Still, my excitement couldn’t be contained. For a few weeks straight, my shoes of choice were my hiking boots that I was so eager to break in. While I paraded around in these shoes that are the style choice equivalent to rain pants, people would ask what was I doing in those shoes while everyone was getting ready to go to school. My answer? Not what they wanted to hear. It became so routine for me to see the disappointing reaction in people when I responded to where I was going to college this year, or rather where I was going instead. I’m from the South. You go to college or you don’t. There is no in between. The idea of my gap year became an enigma. No one could comprehend why I was taking it, so they disregarded it as an inane concept. At my job, I became known as the dropout (even though I know where I’m going to college and will attend) and my gap year became the focal point of all my coworkers’ jokes. A friend’s parent told me I was wasting a year of my life. I even was put down in a prayer: “Lord please bless all these bright kids going off to college and those who aren’t”.

It was as if people wanted me to feel badly for knowing what I wanted to do with my life and executing it. There is a certain way that most people live their lives: they grow up, work as hard and fast as they can to start a career, work endlessly, and for the most part they are through with their life. It’s almost like people are rushing to get to the next stage in life and don’t even consider how quickly they are moving. I’ve never wanted to be like that, which is one reason I took a gap year. Through my decision to take the year off, it was like I was defying the conventional life style and thus my actions were deemed wrong by most. Instead of strictly following that guide to life, I would rather appreciate every moment and make each day count. Robert Frost once said that, “two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference”, so with my hiking boots laced up and this notion in my mind, I headed down the trail that lead me to an experience of a lifetime in Australia.

I didn’t know what to expect getting off my plane on the other side of the world. All I know is that any expectations I had were surpassed by the reality. I was excited to finally be where I wanted and around people who had similar thoughts on making your life your own. It’s not often that you are gifted the chance to learn and laugh with thirteen uniquely incredible people offering new insights on the pursuit towards living a full life; I am incredibly lucky to have had that experience. The people I met during my trip are people I will remember for the rest of my life. There is no one I would have rather shared this journey with. From the meaningful conversations over coffee and walks to sitting on the floor of a hostel with all the girls dying our hair hues of the Australian sunset, all of these experiences have helped to shape me into the person I will become. There is no amount of gratitude that will ever match how thankful I am to those people on my trip, my friends, my Australian family. Unfortunately, I had to leave the trip early due to medical issues, but I feel that even an ocean away, I’m still impacted and connected to them. These experiences leave you with a remarkable bond.

Back in the U.S., I’ve had time to reflect upon my decision to embark on a gap year. It wasn’t the easiest decision, but sometimes the hardest decisions are the ones that are the most rewarding. If I didn’t take the risk in making this difficult choice, I would have missed out on all the wonderful experiences I had. I’ll never regret my decision. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I was fortunate enough to take part in. What I discovered while on this trip was how there isn’t a foolproof way to live life. There isn’t one road that everyone follows. People take different paths at different speeds, some with an idea of where they are going and others just enjoying their time. My path is different from others and I don’t know what it will entail just yet. All I know is that I’m not going to rush through my life; I’m going to savor it. It would be garbanzo beans not to.