Do you know the saying, “If life gives you lemons … make lemonade?” Well, what if you don’t want to make lemonade? What if you rather enjoy pure pristine water? What if you want to avoid the lemons altogether?

That’s how I felt about the direction my life was going my freshman year of college. My life was full of lemons. I needed to start over. 

In high school, I fell into the wrong crowd. I pretended to be the version of me that everyone thought I should be. Even my dreams in life were skewed. 

I got to college thinking my dream was to one day work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but I never wanted to catch serial killers. I want to write mystery novels. I don’t want to track criminals all over the world. I want to travel with a Rum and Pepsi in my hand. 

Changing my major my sophomore year was the best thing I could have done for myself. Criminal Justice was not for me. I’m an English major now, and I could not be happier. I know who I am, and more importantly, I know who I want to be. 

And, I won’t settle for less. 

When life gives you lemons, you squeeze them dry and search for something that will actually quench your thirst.