Chapter 9: Is it too late?

“No matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, you can always turn around.” — Turkish Proverb 

It is never too late to change your goals or dreams and move toward a different path, but doing so requires a magical ingredient that is  time.

I’ve heard people say it’s never too late to start over, but lately, I’ve been wondering if that’s true. Whenever I made a mistake, my mom would tell me, “Don’t worry, you have time.” I used to believe her — that I could always catch up, always fix things. But now, in college, I’m starting to question if I really do have time.

When I got here, I had this idea of how things would go, I’d figure out my career path, find my people, and get on track towards the perfect future. But it hasn’t been like that at all. I’ve changed my goals multiple times and had days where I felt completely lost. Every time I see my friends who seem to know exactly what they want, I wonder, “Is it too late for me to figure it out?”

I talked about this with a friend, and she said, “You’re not behind; you’re just figuring out what’s right for you.” That stuck with me. I realized the problem isn’t time; it’s my fear of failing, of wasting time on the wrong things, or not calculating everything. I’ve been so afraid of making the wrong move that I haven’t made many moves at all.

So, I’ve decided to stop asking if it’s too late and start asking, “What can I do now?”.

I’m trying new things. I’m reaching out to people I admire, signing up for classes outside my comfort zone, and letting myself believe that not having it all figured out is okay. 

I’m learning it’s less about running out of time and more about being willing to make mistakes and start again. Maybe it’s not too late to change directions or discover something new. Maybe I’m just beginning and right now, that feels like more than enough.

I have faith that, in the end, things will turn out well and I will be successful. These small trials in making the right decision can weigh me down, but I won’t let them weaken me.