This is a little old, but still holds true; written with graduation looming as a last page piece for Colby magazine.
Alaska is appealing right now because it represents promise and potential, a whiff of the way life could be. Alaska is appealing because I have no idea where I want to go or what I want to do there.
Except, that’s not really true. I do know what I want to do. I want to buy land, build a house with a hexagonal sauna, get married, and have lots of children. I want to buy a sheepdog to make sure they (children, not sheep) stay near the house. I’d like to keep in touch with friends and work at a stimulating job that lets me travel some and provides enough to keep the family solvent. The exact details of this job are still pretty hazy, and that’s bringing the whole plan down.