Some people have it all figured out. From the day they’re born, they know the path they’re going to take in life. They know what career they want to have, the type of person the want to marry – everything.

I’m not one of those people. I’ve tried.

I’ve tried planning my life, following that path, or “staying the course,” as our friend “Dubya” would say. But for me, it doesn’t work.

I can remember the day I had to figure it all out. I was a senior in high school, and was about to register for my first college classes at the University of Kentucky.

They asked me, “what’s your major?”

So, forced to plan out the next four years, I quickly decided on political science for the sole reason that I had a crush on my political science teacher during my sophomore year.

Needless to say, it wasn’t the smartest decision.

But I, like so many others, felt forced to plan out my life at 18.

How do we know if the career we’ve chosen for ourselves is the right one? How do we know something in the future won’t flip everything upside down and change our perception of who we really are?

That’s why I came here. I changed my mind midway through my first semester at UK, and wanted to be a writer. In the back of mind I still wonder if I made the right decision this time around.

For a long time, I envied those around campus that flaunted their undeclared status. They knew they had no clue and they were honest about it.

Many of us who have decided on a major either hate it, want to do something else or don’t know if it’s the right thing for us.

That’s why I like those who are undeclared. They don’t cover up their uncertainty with a major they don’t know if they like, or a series of classes that may turn out to be useless.

I, too, have a few credits that are worthless.

You have to hand it to the undeclared. They’re the ones who are most sure of themselves the whole time. They know they still have options.

The point is, hardly anyone really knows what they want to do in high school or the first year of college, really. Even if you think you do, in the back of your mind there will always be that inkling of doubt.

So why try to plan for it like you do? Who knows who they really are at 18? At 22?

Don’t fret if you’re not a lucky undeclared, though. Just make sure that you don’t define who you are just through your major.

After we all walk the line, we can take the piece of paper we receive and do whatever we want with it. There’s no law that says we have to get a job in that field.

We can do what we want, what feels right – right then. Figure it out as we go.

That’s my plan. That’s as figured out as it’s going to get for now.

Reach Heather Ryan at diversions@chherald.com.