Organized. Responsible. Productive. These are words I could never use to describe myself. I’m sure others would agree. 

It is obvious seeing how my whole high school experience has been done through last-minute decisions. Whether it’s turning in assignments on the last day or switching classes at the last moment. While it is a stressful thing to do and definitely not recommended by anyone, it is the way I work. Trying to plan things out, written out or just in my head, I never end up following through on it. It is merely a suggestion in my mind. 

And being ashamed of it, or thinking I am worse compared to my other classmates won’t do any positive change besides me ignoring my deadlines and getting stuck in a place I don’t enjoy. The way to change “bad” habits is not to constantly belittle yourself because of them.

I remember choosing my classes for freshman year, thinking I would join the concert choir. But the morning after the deadline for classes, I knew I wouldn’t be happy. I called and begged my counselor to switch to marching/concert band, even if I have to give up two weeks of my summer for marching band. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. And the beginning of this year, I switched to Mr. Modelski’s Intro to Multimedia class just to get out of another class I was not interested in. It was done on the last day to switch classes without issue. And now my goal is to become a sports producer, something I only found out was a profession a few months ago. 

The college I’m going to? Was also a last-minute decision made five hours before National Decision Day. And those are just three of many late decisions I have made during my time at Elk Grove. All three made my high school life better than if I was too scared and thought it would be too much trouble. But forget that. Forget about how it’ll be hard to change a class or a university you want to attend.

A piece of advice to everybody, freshman to senior and beyond: Make that last-minute decision. If it is a risk, do it. Do what makes you happy, even if others vote against it, even if you yourself have doubts. No benefit will come from listening to others or thinking it is too late to change your mind. The way I developed this view on my bad habit is by following this quote by Lucille Ball: I’d rather regret the things I have done than the things I haven’t done.