360 Degrees: How do we prevent Regret?

We are presented with choices and big decisions everyday. These can be as varied as what to eat for breakfast to having kids. The importance of making the right choice is becoming especially prominent as we are finishing up our sophomore year and the college race fast approaches. Earlier this week, I went to College Night and was overwhelmed with the clamoring for booth attendants' attention, by the kids with prepared questions and their top 10 most intriguing schools at the conference picked out from the list. How did these people already have an idea what schools made the first cut? What factors did they already know would make a difference in their decision?

It was hard to absorb everything happening around me without having done much prep beforehand, but the experience led me to another problem- how would I end up making my decision even after all the research? If all these colleges had the potential and opportunities they claimed, how could I possibly choose just one? How would I know I made the right choice when I never got the chance to experience the effects of any one college? Obviously, there are times you can visit campuses and look at what classes they're known for, but how will going to one college over another affect you in the longterm? How will I avoid feelings that I might have made a great choice, but not the best choice?

This got me thinking about regret. Thoughts of what could have been and what might have happened if... can easily haunt us, if we let them. If it weren't for all the extra work and the amount of time, I'm sure some people would go to college at 3 or 4 different places, just to see how that would affect their choices later and give them a more impressive group of college alums to connect with (the method of going for your doctorate at a different school than your undergrad suddenly makes a lot more sense). But what good does wasting time with what ifs do?

I'm trying to understand and respect the power of making good choices. It's a delicate balance. Considering what you want long-term, what you're interested in, and what you want now is a tricky blend to juggle. Ultimately, you have to find the best mix of opportunities and whats best for you and just go for it. Regret will come if your doing something that's 'smart' but you don't love, or if you're doing something you enjoy but are limited by.

In the end, with college anyway, I think it's important for someone to make a choice and not wallow in ifs later. If you look at the opportunities presented somewhere, you're bound to find something your choice offers that puts you ahead in some way. Your small college might have an alum who is CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Your Ivy-league school might have an incredible number of clubs that teach you leadership you can use in the future. Regret will generally hide in the corner until you let it in. But I'm going to choose not to encourage it.

This goes for other choices in life too. I'm going to work on the process of weighing my options and looking thoroughly at what appeals to me and what my gut tells me I wouldn't like before making a decision. If I save impulse for fun decisions and reserve careful research for more serious long-term impact, I'll have a balance that will allow me to live and enjoy the environment I choose.