<p>Enigma,
You sound overwhelmed.</p>
<p>Ignore your father’s negativity. It’s not going to help you acheive your goals, but objectively, it’s not going to stop you either. Don’t give his negativite attitude any power over your actions.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about morphing into your dream persona overnight. Just slowly take some baby steps in directions that interest you. Take baby steps, one at a time, in any direction that intrigues you.</p>
<p>Make a phone call or send an email to the study abroad office, and see what info they give you. Just one baby step. If your FA qualifies, great–have them advise you on what you need to do next. If your FA does not qualify, ask more questions because you certainly not the first recipient of FA who wants to study abroad.</p>
<p>If you want to be a travel writer, you don’t need to travel right now–write for other travelers coming to your area. Maybe you could investigate and write about what visiting teens or pre-teens might do in your area? It seems a lot of travel articles focus on children or adults, both of which seem to leave out teens/college kids and their interests. Again, take small steps toward becoming your dream.</p>
<p>Each time you take just one step it will lead you to another. They don’t need to be on a straight path. Just take one step and then just one more. The more steps you take the more confidence you will gain. And your father’s negativity will mean less and less to you.</p>