Listen to your heart

As stereotypical as it sounds, the best advice I can give is listen to yourself. The coming years, whether you decide to attend college or not, are going to be the best years to figure out what drives your passions and what grinds your gears. If you don't figure those things out, though, in no way are you "behind" anyone else.

I spent a semester in college abroad, and the only thing I really learned is how to take care of myself in a way that makes me happy to look in the mirror. I had to retake two of my three class final exams, and it was massive weight on my self-esteem. I would have much rather been home playing my trumpet in band. If I had listened to my heart more, I would have been able to come to that conclusion quicker.

Even as a paraprofessional, I'm still finding myself trying to listen to my heart and the hearts of my students to find ways of boosting their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Bottom line, remember to step back every once in a while and give yourself some grace. It's not easy to know exactly who you are and what you want to be. Sometimes it feels like you have to wear a mask or a costume to fit in, but as long as you are able to find and be your genuine self, you won't have to pretend to be anyone any longer.