I had a very close group of friends in middle school. We swore we would be best friends forever, but then we found ourselves going to completely different high schools. Some of us remained friends and some of us lost touch. In life everyone has different paths. Sometimes the paths with your friends just don’t seem to intersect.

I have two amazing best friends and we spend every second of our free time together. We all plan on going to the same college. We looked at colleges together and fell in love with the University of Central Florida (UCF). Whether or not we will be accepted is the question.

Friends influence each other without even realizing it. You start picking up on each other’s words and even dreams. But what’s best for your friend may not be best for you. For example, my friend Claire wants to go to college with her best friend Amy, but Claire has the opportunity to go to college in New York and live with her aunt. It’s important to do what you want to do regardless of what your friends are doing. Though we all go through different stages in our lives, we shouldn’t let opportunities slip away.

If you’re not accepted at your first choice college, it’s important to acknowledge that you still have options. Some of my friends have decided to go to a local community college for two years and then transfer over to a university or even attend a community college near the university they want to eventually attend.

There are also technical schools that may be of interest to some students. I have a friend who wants to specialize in a certain field, so he’s going to attend Sheridan Technical School and work on the side to save up money instead of going to a more expensive institution.

A friend named Jake never thought he would go to college because he barely graduated from high school. His previous scores on state tests proved he had good skills so his school counselor recommended that he take the ACT. He took the test and scored well enough for a Bright Futures scholarship that pays for about 60% of his college. Now he’s signed up to attend his first semester of college this fall. It’s a great idea to take the ACT and see how much it can help you.

I planned on starting college early next year, but I’ve decided it’s not what I want to do anymore. Even though it would a great opportunity, what I thought was best for me then isn’t what’s best for me now. I’ve decided to enjoy what’s left of high school instead of trying to hurry up and get out. I recently realized that time is moving so rapidly, so what’s the rush? Whatever your decisions may be, know that nothing is for certain and you can always change your mind. At the same time, it’s important to have a path, make it your own and never miss out on any opportunities.