Make Your Own Expectations

He best advice I can give is, don't let someone else's expectations for you become the expectations you have for yourself.
My mother and grandpa gave me this advice recently, when I was questioned about collage.
I had decided I did not want to go to collage, I was going to race horses and thus no collage was necessary. However when I tell people this they get a look in their eyes like they don't understand me."What do you mean you don't want to go to collage?" "Don't you want a higher paying job?" " Everyone goes to collage."
Soon I began to question my own expectations for myself, did I want to go to collage, what would I study, if I don't go will I be the weired kid. When I told my mother about people's questions she looked me straight in the eye and said " Riley, you can be whatever you want to be. Do whatever you want to do, but don't let other people tell you who to be. If you don't want to go to collage that's fine." I nodded feeling better. When I called my grandpa that night and told him the same thing he laughed and said, " Sweetheart don't go to collage if you don't want to. See the world, travel, have fun, figure out what it is you enjoy, then do that." So that is the best advice I have received and it is the best I can give. Live the life you want to live don't let someone else decide what you are going to be.

Message to Readers

The best advice I have ever received, hope it helps you too:)

Peer Review

What about this advice/wisdom resonates with you?

The implications of the decision, and the courage it must've taken to stay by this decision resonated with me. I, myself, have also considered about whether going to college is something I want to do after my GCE A Levels this year - or would I rather do something else first?

Sometimes we mix up what we want with what others expect of us - and perhaps this is especially true for children who admire what their parents think, and fear to disappoint them. It is not an easy decision to make, and I salute you for being so brave!

Reviewer Comments

Timeless and empowering advice. :") I identify with the last line to a great extent, and feel that yes, it is definitely important to love the person you are, and be the person you want to be.

Nonetheless, I feel that the idea can be further explored to exemplify how to "Make Your Own Expectations" because I feel that making expectations which are too lofty may instead lead to disappointment (resulting in dejection with many doses!).

A suggestion would be to consider how you would want to present this piece - would it be an essay, or from a scene such as the one in your piece where you faced the doubts about not going to college before extrapolating it? Perhaps having a clearer flow can help emphasise the message you want to leave the readers with. Apart from a few spelling errors, this is a piece with lots of potential with regards to where you wish to take it.

Love the advice and hope you find happiness no matter the decision you choose to go with! :D