Izzy Fox at NYU

Don’t Put Your Eggs in One Basket

Unless you’ve lived exclusively under a rock, or your life experience consists of interacting with people who are always successful with their endeavors, the colloquialism “Don’t Put Your eggs in One Basket” is probably one you’ve heard quite often in your time on earth. It means, and I paraphrase, that even though one option may seem best, giving up all of your other options might not necessarily be the most intelligent move. It is by all means a logical expression, meant to teach us the importance of prioritizing focus when making important decisions.

Most people , when they put their eggs in one basket, can often find that a surprising turn of events can lead to them having no eggs at all. I of all people should understand the expression. I heard it again and again and again in the weeks leading up to my senior year of high school. Honestly, I don’t blame my parents , friends, and casual conversation holders for expressing the sentiment. After all, applying to only one college was as close to a dictionary definition for putting your eggs in one basket as you can find. “Come on, please!” my mom would plead with me. “Can we at least visit Case Western? You didn’t think American was all bad, did you ?” Probably options I should’ve considered, but I would hear none of it. I wanted to go to one school, and one school only.

Was I a stubborn 17 year old , mesmerized by the allure of New York City and the overwhelming joy I had experienced on the campus of NYU? Without a doubt. Hindsight is 20/20, but as I found out, I never needed glasses anyway. Did I feel doubt when my best friends were rushing to meet November first deadlines for upwards of ten schools ,and I had finished my one application in August? One hundred percent. My peers were all stressed, so my absence of stress was just as stressful. Did it pay off? I guess I should major in basket weaving. I’ll never forget the moment I knew I was in, punching the air and hugging my calc teacher at the end of the hall.

The risk was all worth it, and even if it hadn’t paid off, it still would’ve been worth it to teach me a lesson about myself. That when I know in my heart of hearts a decision is right, no matter what everyone else tells me, I’ve gotta go for it. People have asked me, “What’s the most important thing you have learned before NYU?” No matter how fragile the eggs, if I trust the basket, It will all be worth whatever comes out the other side.