When uncertainty is in the air, all you can do is follow your heart and intuition.

Lately many people’s lives have been filled with nothing but unpredictability, especially with college students. With the massive change to online school many students were struggling in the beginning, not being used to staring at a computer all day and having to structure your own school day around a hectic personal schedule. However, as this new way of life with Covid-19 has become a “norm,” many students seem to have left their unpredictable future to their intuition. Following your intuition can sometimes lead to a place where things are brighter and balanced. Sometimes the better option is to make a decision without conscious reasoning especially in times when the whole world’s future cannot be seen.

There have been many situations where college students made the right and conscious decision in their education life, and it ended up with an outcome that they did not expect. Many encourage students to really think and analyze a decision before they make it in order to avoid tragedies that cannot be undone. However, using intuition to make a decision can sometimes be the right path. Education is important and it is expected for students to prioritize their education. Yet there is rarely any mention of how education can wait for it will always be there no matter how fast life moves.

NBC news reported that remote students are more stressed than people who are lucky enough to have in-classroom learning. They mention how online learning makes students feel exhausted and overloaded. This shows that although education is important, there is a right and wrong time for it. There is no denying that school is important but sometimes a rest and break from it can help. Inside Higher Ed stated that in a survey they did, many students claimed that Covid-19 has impacted their grades and performance negatively. Many students also reported a decline in mental health.

Education can be done at one’s personal pace and many college students tend to ignore this because of the pressure of needing to be successful. PolitiFact claims that on average college students take up to 6 years to finish school. They also mention how some students even take semester breaks during their degree journey. This goes to show that there is nothing wrong with taking breaks or even just taking the time and space to truly endure in your learning. Taking your time on something is good, it makes the quality of learning more enjoyable.  Denisse Colin, an  inactive college student, urges students to truly evaluate their education position right now and think about themselves.

“My plan was to go to MCC as soon as I finished my dental assistant program, but things do not always go as planned. Covid hit and changed learning completely, and I thought about my school performance and knew that online would not help, and so I decided to wait and take a break.” she said.

Colin followed her intuition although she knew that going to straight to school would help her finish school sooner, she trusted herself and knew that remote learning was not for her.

“It was scary making the decision to take a pause in my education, but I knew that online school was going to decrease my motivation and performance” Colin said. “Taking this break was worth it and I learned how to pace myself and realized this is MY life and I will do what is best for me.”

Taking your time and pacing yourself is something not many students tend to do, and Collin hopes more students will realize that it is ok to prioritize yourself first once in a while. Many college students are intimidated and feel pressured to get their degree as quickly as possible in order to be successful quicker. If a break is not an option, for students that is ok, it is understandable that some careers cannot afford a break. However, informing students that there is nothing wrong with going at their own pace and that if they are struggling right now, they are not alone. They can take fewer classes for a semester or even plan ahead in their schedules and include time for themselves during their days. This can be helpful in stressful times like these.

Life is unpredictable and there is no guarantee that your future will go as planned, so  make a selfish decision, and trust yourself. School will always be there, and success is everywhere even in the little things. It is acceptable to trust your intuition.