The Ordinary Inbetween

not a kid, not an adult, didn't come with a how-to manual

Welcome to The Ordinary Inbetween—a space where we talk about the good, the awkward, the hard-to-name moments, and the glimmers of hope that appear in our journey of becoming. This is a season of life marked by change, and while clarity often seems elusive, we focus on the conversations that guide us forward, even when they don’t lead us to certainty.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you find yourself in the midst of transition—maybe you’re moving from high school to college, or from college to the next step in life. Perhaps the reality of adulthood hasn’t fully sunk in yet—when did your conversations start revolving around taxes and health insurance? At some point, you may have thought, “Who put me in charge of me?”

And though it’s easy to focus on “measurable” outcomes like income, job titles, vehicles, or homes, there’s no official marker that says, “Hey, you’re doing this whole adulting thing right!”

If you're anything like the young adults I've had the honor of walking alongside—whether through college ministries, my time as a resident director, or now as a therapist in a college counseling center—you’re probably feeling a mix of excitement, confusion, and maybe even fear about the future. Over the last decade, I’ve sat with countless emerging adults, hearing their stories of self-discovery, career exploration, relationship building, and the challenges of deciding who they are and who they want to become. And I’ll be the first to tell you: you are not alone.

I remember when I was younger, my parents used to tell me, “You can be whatever you want to be.” I thought that was empowering—until it felt like I was being asked to choose one path, one identity, one dream. I gave them a hard time for setting my expectations to high when really the expectation was, I would pick just one thing to be. The pressure to pick the “right” path often felt suffocating. But in that journey, I was reminded that we are allowed to be many things—not all at once, but over time—and not always with a clear timeline.

Jokingly, when I left for college, my parents gave me the book “You Are a Girl Who Can Do Anything.” It was a reminder that there’s no one “right” way to define who we are.

You don’t have to have it all figured out, and that’s okay. But I also know that life can feel heavy in this season. Between the expectations, the big decisions, and the uncharted waters ahead, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about what’s next.

Here's the truth: there are so many opportunities in front of you, sometimes it feels like there are too many. But even in the midst of all the choices, one thing is absolutely certain—you are not alone. Whether you’re unsure about your career, questioning your relationships, or wondering if your identity is changing, you’re walking a path that countless others have walked before you.

So, if you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Does anyone else feel this way?” or “Am I normal?”—the answer is yes. Yes, you are not alone in feeling uncertain, in questioning, in wondering how to make sense of all that is unfolding. Yes, you are allowed to feel overwhelmed, to feel impatient with yourself, and to not have every step of the journey mapped out.

The Ordinary Inbetween may feel confusing at times. It may be scary. It may also be freeing. But it’s also beautiful, especially when you allow yourself to show up exactly as you are now. This moment—the one you’re in—is *enough*.

Instead of striving to know what’s next or who you *should* be, I encourage you to sit with curiosity. Let yourself wonder about all the versions of yourself that you might become. And when you feel overwhelmed or unsure, remember to be kind to yourself. Give yourself permission to explore, to make mistakes, and to lean into the present moment without all the answers.

The beauty of this season is that you don’t have to have it all figured out. There is time to grow, to change, and to discover yourself—piece by piece, step by step. Trust that your journey is unfolding exactly as it should, even if you can’t see the whole picture just yet.

And as you continue forward, remember: you are not alone. You are seen, you are loved, and you are enough—just as you are, right here, in the Ordinary Inbetween.