Something

Everybody tells you that the years you spend in college are going to be the best of your life. But, didn't they say that about high school? And won't they say that about your '20s? I don't really understand the need of human kind to dictate when it is that you can have the best time of your life. Sure, right now I'm young and have my entire life ahead of me, but why is it that in this moment (well over the course of the next 4 years) I'm supposed to have as much fun as I possibly can. I want to live my the entirety of my life as if each "section" is the "best." I mean, after college ends does life get significantly less enjoyable? Yes, the actual responsibilities start to set in, real jobs, rent, bills, and maybe even a family but I am positive I will find a way to not only deal with it, but conquer it. I refuse to believe that all of my enjoyment in life is going to have to come from a specific section from which I'll have to draw upon whenever I am in need of a reminder of what fun is. I am a big believer making the most out of any kind of situation because to me, there is no use wasting time that can be spent doing…something, enjoying…something, living for…something.

I suppose the key thing to life is finding out what that something is. Endlessly searching for that something should not be what takes up your entire life. Hopefully it doesn’t because the sooner you can find that something, the sooner you can live your life with that something in your mind.

Before you go off thinking I'm some self-righteous philosopher I should probably introduce myself. My name is Jaleel. I'm a 17 year old guy from a small suburban town in Iowa (don't be fooled, I've never stepped on a farm a day in my life). I just graduated high school two months ago and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of this "new chapter" everyone calls college. I'm not proving a point with my college experience and moving halfway across the country, I'm simply going to a large public university less than an hour away from my current residence. From my limited college experience thus far I have learned that a major practically defines a person. I find it interesting that we decide that we are able to tell so much about a person based upon the kinds of classes they intend on taking in college. Based on something that changes 50-70% of the time. If you do choose to attach a person's worth into a major it is nice however to realize that people change, a lot (3 times in the first two years of college according to some statistics). Having said all that, I'm majoring in French. What does that say about me? Je ne sais pas. I used to want to be a French teacher but that interest has changed even before packing a single bag for college. I'm sure I'll add on a second major in Political Science or tack on a minor in Spanish or International Studies.

I guess I come off as confused, I really would just love to do so many different things with my life. The easiest way to do that is to start somewhere I suppose. So this is where I intend on beginning my hopefully short search of something. At 17 years of age, right here, in my bed, in middle of nowhere, Iowa. Let's go.