--Jay-z

When you're younger, you don't understand much until you've either experience certain things or your environment provides certain examples. Teachers would always ask, as far back as middle school, what you think your life will be like in 5, 10, 15 years.  Everyones' answer, including mine, would be something like, "After high school I'll go to college, spend 4 years there, then when I'm 22 I'll get a job, settle down, then by 25/26 I would want to be married, 27/28 start having kids, etc."

As I approach 20 (holy crap.. I'm not gona be a teen), I'm beginning to think that this "life plan" is a little too far fetched. For some, they're right on track (more power to ya), but for a lot of people, my age or older, they're just getting started.

I was ignorant towards a lot of things when I was younger.. as is everyone. I used to have a certain perspective towards people who went to community college, quit school to work, took time off of school, etc., anything that wasn't a part of this "life plan" a lot of students had in mind. When I used to hear, "Yeah.. this is her 4th year at community college," I'd think, "damnn.. hella long," but now that I'm actually experiencing life as a college student, I'm learning from not only my own experiences, but the experiences of everyone around me. Of course there are people who have everything yet do nothing, but I have a new found respect for the the student who has to cut their units to help out the family, for the student who financially puts themselves through school, for the student attending their 4th year at community college for whatever conflict life has sprung upon you. Getting started a little late isn't that bad.

Sh*t happens.. life doesn't always go as planned.