<p>This might sound a little weird because of my age, but I’m kind of in the same boat. I’m 41 and just now about to begin studying for a masters degree, a one year degree in the UK that starts in October. I transferred from a CC to UCB in 2008 and graduated in 2010. Wow, those 2 years FLEW BY. </p>
<p>I guess you could say that my friends and I all followed the “European” model of dating and settling down because many of my friends are just now, in their 30s and lower 40s, beginning to get married, have kids and buy houses. One could also call it extended adolescence. 
Anyway, I’m now in what could be a very serious relationship with an awesome guy, but I met him after making plans to go to grad school, in fact, just six weeks before I was to leave last fall. I deferred for one year in order to explore this new relationship. While I have no idea what will happen between my boyfriend and I, I feel that the best thing for me, my career, and my sanity is to go to London and just finish the masters. I will likely return to California and am considering undertaking a PhD at Cal or somewhere else in the West. I am more than ready to give up my “cushy” 9-5 job. It is making me brain dead after 11 years in the same job. I was lucky enough to keep working here part time while at Cal and go back to full time when I decided to stay in CA for another year. </p>
<p>At 21, it is really hard to see that you have ample time to do the things you want to do, as long as you do <em>something</em> towards that end. You are already on the path towards earning your BA and that’s a great start. But the only advice I can really offer is to stop looking at what everyone else is doing around you. Live the life YOU want to live. If that means putting aside a 9-5 job, owning a house, and settling down for your academic and world-saving ambitions, do it. If that means getting married before you are financially stable or while you are earning a PhD, yet being committed to making your lives better over time, do it. You will meet grad students at your UC who are married, and some who have kids. Heck, you’ll meet undergrad students that have kids and are maybe single parents. And some of those undergrad parents will go on to earn masters and PhDs. Being at UC is like a dream in a way - if you have goals for a PhD now, or for the Peace Corp, they will only intensify at UC since so many other people there have the same dreams. I think the summer between CC and UC is hard because life just seems to be beginning - again - but trust me, once you’ve survived your first semester at UC, you won’t really care anymore about what others are doing about “settling down” because the opportunities will seem a bit endless. Enjoy it!</p>