I shouldn’t be in grad school.

Ok, technically I am in school. And I thought long and hard about my decision. The fact is, I never wanted to go.  I wanted to dive into the workforce from undergrad.  I wanted to head straight to New York City, into a corporate office, and work my way up to the top.

I have always been a hard-working, practical person. I was always the “planner” in my group of friends-organized and keenly aware of the people’s needs around me.

So I had a plan: New York. And no one gets in the way of a twenty something heading to New York.

Casually looking online during the summer of 2007, I found my current grad program. I couldn’t believe there was a curriculum that fit all of my needs for furthering my education- a hands-on program focusing on the global marketplace.

But I didn’t want to let it interfere with THE plan. New York. Big office. My vision of early twenty-something life.

But I couldn’t help it; I was drawn to the program web page every couple of days. I started to develop a passion for the program and for the opportunities, places and people I would meet. So, I worked really hard- I took the GREs twice, revised my resume countless times and spoke to every quasi professional about my options. Despite the attempts I made at convincing myself,  I was still scared about straying from my plan.

Then I realized-

Life is not a plan.

You make your own opportunities.

Do what you want to do.

Under one rule: Live with passion.

So, I shouldn’t be in grad school. But it’s ok, because I am loving it. I am learning so much, branding myself, my work, making contacts and lifelong friendships from people all around the world in a city that I would have never explored.

Plans are only in pencil, it’s ok to erase.