It takes 13 years, 14 if your parents signed you up for preschool, but for most it takes 13 years for a US citizen to graduate from the public school system. Most students are often told to “Know where you’re going,” or “Have a plan,” but a good majority of soon-to-be graduates take on senior year with lots of uncertainty about the future. If you yourself are reading this and find yourself in a similar place with no vision of the future to shape your life around, then allow me to help with a step-by-step guide on how to survive senior year while undecided. 

Step 1: Brush It Off

As the great Mr. Miyagi once said “Wax on, wax off,” which is almost the same thing as brushing things off and if I’ve learned anything from pop culture, it’s that everything works out in the end. Sure, everyday that you wait to decide on a college or a major or even what to do in life might matter to someone who’s got life on a schedule and has mapped out their next 30 years, but to you, it’s whatever. Besides we do live on a floating rock in space so does it really matter that you haven’t applied to any colleges yet? So take that mental health day where you don’t do anything productive or spend your afternoon playing video games instead of thinking about life after school. Because after all, what’s another day to a rock? Sit back, relax and tell future you that it’s their problem now, you’ve got a new Netflix show to binge instead. 

Step 2: Avoiding “The Talk”

Now, living the life of a wandering soul after high school can be pretty stress-free, but those pesky relatives you see on the holidays just can’t seem to stop themselves from asking you the question. “Have you applied to any colleges yet?” “What’re your plans after highschool?” and “Are you and so and so still dating?” These questions from relatives you haven’t seen in years might just motivate an unmotivated soul into applying to college or a job or even the forbidden talk with mom and dad about what you want to do in life. For a seasoned veteran in avoiding awkward conversations with relatives who’ve claimed to change your diaper back in the day is to simply smile, shrug your shoulders, and grab that second plate of thanksgiving dinner. At this point you’ve earned it after your long day of weaseling out of uncomfortable situations. 

Step 3: No One Likes A Showoff

“Birds of a feather, flock together,” and that means avoiding overachieving classmates that love to brag about how they already got accepted into their dream college or that their dad already has a job lined up for them after graduation. Because after all, they might just give you the final kick into finalizing your half-finished application and even worse submitting it. But I do know it’s not that simple to just avoid these people for the next nine months. Maybe it’s your best friend of 10 years telling you all about how you should get into college or get a real job after graduation. When confronted with this realization there’s only one proven remedy to assert your dominance in your indecision. If they plan on going to college, point out how much money they’ll be in debt for student loans. This method is guaranteed to annoy your friends or snobby classmates to the point where they’ll stop talking about college when your presence enters a room. For the classmates that proudly state they’ll start making 20, 30 dollars an hour working for their dad’s company straight out of high school, there is only one response to such a prideful statement that they’ve got their life together. Simply ask them “How’s your back gonna feel in five years?” This simple, but effective question will surely set off the future blue collar worker into never confiding in you about life after graduation ever again, thus leaving you alone and unbothered about the woes of adulthood. 

Step 4: Profit?

If you’ve followed every step to a tee, you’ll notice things starting to change around you. Your inner peace, your lack of stress (or gain of), maybe you’ve lost a few friends on the way, but who cares? They sucked anyway with their life goals and aspirations. You’ve successfully learned the ways of a wanderer. No plans cause who needs them anyway? No clue in the world what to do after you’ve gotten a diploma and definitely no job. Besides we live on a rock floating in space so does it all really matter in the end? No. So you might as well submit that college application for your dream school or do that walk-in interview for the job you’ve always wanted. Because the best way to not have a plan, is to have one.