5 Things I've Learned as a College Dropout Turned Creative

Being uncertain about your life path as a high schooler (and an adult) is not uncommon. Even with that in mind, some students spend their entire high school years (sometimes as early as a freshman) preparing and mapping out what college they'll attend, what credits they'll need, what their major will be, etc. I remember dragging my feet on the whole college thing because of my uncertainty, unsure about a major and just feeling the pressure to pick something!

I had yet to discover my passion, which we will dive into in a future blog post, but I found myself in college for a few years, ultimately never finishing due to a mix of money issues, extreme discouragement and discovering that college was not what I had wanted. Here are a few things I've learned during that process:

1. Stop living for other people. Immediately. Maybe had I done that I wouldn’t have wasted time and money on college (2 colleges at that). Yes, your loved ones have your best interest in mind but sometimes you’re really just living out your loved one's dreams instead of your own. You truly have to take people's opinions with a grain of salt. I ended up following what was normal for high school graduates instead of listening to the signs, which seem clear to me now that I am older and can look back on it. Not living for others can be especially hard because we are expected to go to college directly after high school but honestly, what percentage of students know exactly what they want to do? If you are anything like me, you end up in college following your parent's footsteps without the confidence and I eventually felt very out of place.

2. Your passion will come to you. If you have not discovered it yet, it can sometimes be hidden in plain view. Although sometimes that also means looking at your younger self to see what you’ve always been drawn to. You can even ask your parents/family if you have to. Here are some questions that you can ask your older family members to lead the conversation with:

• What's something that I loved as a kid?

• What was my personality like as a child?

• What were my favorite things to do or play when I was younger?

• What is something that I seemed drawn to as a kid?

• What did you believe I would grow up to do based on what I enjoyed?

You can also think back on your middle school and high school years or look at pictures if that helps any. I found that I was always the friend with the camera, capturing the moments and posting them on Snapchat. That really spoke to me and it makes sense considering the fact that I love to capture the moments now.

3. You have to trust yourself. This is a step that took me a pretty long time but that self acceptance is going to mean the most during your journey. If you don't believe in yourself then you'll forever feel like dropping out wasn't worth it. You'll forever feel like you've made a mistake with your life path. You'll ultimately feel lost. One thing that I always say is that you have to live off of a sense of delusion and self confidence that no one can strip away. I've been living in delusion since I dropped out, just trusting God to guide my steps.

4. Take yourself seriously. Treating your backup option as if there's no other option is the best way to feel a sense of comfort. Treat what you chose to do as your end all be all. Once you become passionate about what you chose to do, this will come easy to you. If you're into fashion and designing clothes, claim that designer title, attend fashion events and network when you can, advocate for yourself, keep a business card on hand and be sure that what you're doing in fashion is one of your top priorities. Trust the process but be sure to do the work.

5. Give yourself grace. Deciding to drop out of college can cause a whirlwind of emotions that can take a toll on your mental health, as it has mine. It's so very important to give yourself grace while you navigate adulthood and try your best. Try not to confuse "giving yourself grace" with being lax and stagnant as that can aide in settling and unaccountability. To give yourself grace is to give yourself a pass or two but to check yourself simultaneously.

With all that being said, remember that YOU'VE GOT THIS, whether you've dropped out of college or you've graduated and you're still trying to find yourself. Remember that any path that you decide to take on is meant for you and everything happens for a reason. Don't give up on your journey and never stop working towards who you desire to be.