Dear Chip,
I need some help here. I am not being pressured to go to college, but it feels like it. Don’t get me wrong. I do want to
go.
I have no clue what I’d go for—I’ve done theatre for almost my entire high school career, but I’m starting to feel burnt
out, and it’s terrifying, mainly because I initially wanted to go to college for theatre; well, more of a film school.
And now I don’t have any backups. Neither am I fully prepared to apply for a college if I knew what I wanted to do.
Then there’s the decision of where I want to go. I’m torn between staying in the southern part of the states to stay
closer to family, but I want to go further away and escape and see places I’ve never seen. And maybe that seems
unrealistic; I don’t know. Anyways any advice?

-confused kid

I think one of the biggest hurdles in life is realizing that the monetization of the things you love makes the things themselves lose value. If you were once passionate about something and then it’s all you eat, sleep, and breathe, especially when you make it your career, it can cause you to lose love for it. But it’s also normal to just have different passions for periods of your life.

Maybe theatre was an interest you needed to discover your real love. Let go of what you think is normal; knowing exactly what you want, or exactly how to get it. From my own experience and reading other letters, no one has all the answers. Have self-compassion. Do things because you want to, not because someone is putting pressure on you. Even if that someone is yourself.

As far as staying or leaving the south, you should go with what you think will be most beneficial for you in the future. Do you think you want to look back on your 20s and picture yourself surrounded by your home and family, or do you want weird stories about getting lost your first time at a subway station? Personally, I’d rather stay home; trains derail. But hey, that’s just me.

I hope some of that helped.

Sincerely,

Chip