Directions to "Somewhere"

American education: we need another standardized test and more homework!

Finland: actually, we became one of the worlds' best education systems by getting rid of homework and standardized tests - also, we pay our teachers better than you.

China: same

Belgium: same

I am done with college! It is a feeling filling with excitement, nostalgia and relief. No longer did I had to commit to a hellish schedule. It was me time where I could finally move onto the life of “adulthood,” and doing the things that I have always wanted to do. Travel. Pick up a hobby. The list goes on, seeming as if I had put a good chunk of my life on hold as a college student.

But I had my fair share of memories, both good and bad as a college student. I had many personal crises with my friends and my life, but I have come to accept it as a learning experience. Even if college failed to really “teach” me anything, the experiences and the people around me did. I got to study abroad, challenging myself to see if I could live independently in another country. It turned out okay, and I’ll be going back this year to teach English. Also, finishing college has given me the chance to really process everything. Where can I go from here? I was quite fortunate to have met with a college alum and friend, who told me that post-college is when you start to take initiative to change. I see that in my friends who have filled my Facebook page with their travels and their experiences, both abroad and home. It made me envious, looking at what they could have accomplished within months of graduating.

But hey, that’s me now. Hopefully, I will become that very person who is doing things and going places. It isn’t time to emulate the lives of others, but to redefine mine for the better. My first goal? It sounds quite ridiculous, but I plan to quit drinking coffee.  I have been relying on coffee to stay awake, pushing myself through sleepless nights to finish an assignment. It’s unhealthy and frankly, dangerous. Let’s just say I almost got hit by a car after clocking 12 hours of sleep within three days...Also, it’s just a small step towards a healthier life. The idea of getting sleep, and eating real breakfast (coffee is not breakfast). I want to take care of myself in ways that I couldn’t as a college student. Except now, I can actually do more about it than I used to.