To Go or Not To Go?

Sorry I haven't been on for a while, blogging hasn't been on my mind lately. Haha, I might as well just call this 'Lauryn's Blog!' I started school last week - more like unfinished schoolwork from last year. What has preoccupied my mind is college. Everyone always asks you "So you're going to college?"and "What are your plans for next year?". My automatic response is "Yes" and "College", but I never stopped and thought why I really wanted to go. College, as I knew it, was a must. It was the next step, the buffer between school and reality, the place where you found life-long friends and trained you for the job of your life - and gave you a good reputation. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, I thought I knew what career was for me, but when I got a taste for it, I realized that's not exactly what I wanted. I have an interest in many things, I know what I like and what I don't like, but I don't know what I want to do. There are a lot of jobs out there that I haven't discovered yet, and I understand that a lot of jobs require a college degree. So why am I rethinking this whole college idea? First - money. Yes, I know you can get financial aid, or student loans. But why be years into debt for classes I don't even want to take? I think if I wanted my own business, my money could be used for that. Second - I like the idea of having alternatives, like taking individual classes. Or why not travel? Have the world be my classroom (not that traveling is a cheaper option). I could do mission trips, for example. The thing is, I know I probably won't be motivated in college. If I teach myself what I want to learn (which is what homeschooling is anyway), I will be a whole lot more motivated and it will most likely stick in my head longer. When I think of people who haven't gone to college, I somewhat look down upon them. Not that I was brought up that way at all. My mom wasn't able to finish college, and I think she is a very smart person. But I think that I feel that way because I have high expectations of myself and feel like others have of me too...whenever someones asks me those typical questions. So I'm weighing the pros and cons of college - which I should have done like two years ago. The good thing is my parents have no qualms about me not choosing college, as long as I find my path.