A FINAL ANALOGY: What Kind of a Hiker are You?

Consider your college / career preparation time as a mountain hike. You may see the peak and aim for it, but without a map or a guide, you may not know exactly which path will take you to the top most directly and safely. Some hikers stray off any path at all and just head up the side of the mountain only to find loose rock. Some hikers freak out if they don’t have specific steps laid out in front of them and won’t dare leave on the hike until every question is answered and there are contingency plans. Some hikers would like all the answers first but they are too antsy to just sit at the bottom and wait until the map arrives -- so they just take off on a path and figure they will just adjust along the way. Some hikers are satisfied with knowing that they just need to head towards the top and although they recognize that they may go several extra miles because they don’t which peak to head for but they simply enjoy hiking. Some people shop at REI and buy all sorts of cool looking clothes and gear but never learn how to use any of it an d will never hike. Some people just want to hang out around the base camp with people who are on the trail but never want to hike it themselves. Some people take the time to pack appropriately and be prepared while others just head out without a map, flashlight or provisions because they assume that some other prepared person will come along the way and bail them out if they get stuck. Some people don’t care if they ever reach the peak but just want to get out and enjoy the woods for awhile. And some people have never considered that maybe they should find a different hobby. What kind of a hiker are you?