Column by Carly Grenfell

Someone once asked me if I was a planner or a dreamer.

The difference?

A planner is someone who relies on details and logistics in order to achieve something.

They are intentional in everything they do. They know what is going to happen and when it will happen.

A dreamer has much different qualities.

Per the dictionary definition, a dreamer is “a person who is impractical or idealistic.”

Let’s just say that I respectfully disagree.

While I think all dreamers are planners to a certain extent and vise versa, being a dreamer deviates far from its traditional meaning.

If you don’t view yourself as a dreamer, I would push you to try and be one once in awhile.

To this day, I believe that I am where I am because I had a dream of playing college basketball.

This dream drove every bone in my body to make it happen.

This dream left me hungry for more.

This dream led me to Drake University.

And guess what? Here I am, literally living my dream.

I didn’t plan what city I was going to live in.

I didn’t limit myself to what level I was going to play at.

And I certainly didn’t predetermine what school I was going to choose.

I would be lying if I said this all fell into place without any sort of plan, because my dream was my plan.

Not convinced yet?

Here is a curveball for you: The best part about being a dreamer is that dreams do not always come true.

I dream about Bradley Cooper getting down and one knee and proposing to me.

I dream about Justin Bieber retweeting me.

Believe it or not, these things have yet to happen.

Dreaming is fun regardless of its unrealistic nature.

Can planning be fun and useful? Of course it can.

But why confine ourselves to all of life’s details when there are a million other possibilities?

That is the way I look at it: Being a dreamer is risky.

It makes us vulnerable. It sets us up for a path that quite honestly may not happen. But at least dreams are limitless.

Anyone with an imagination can have as many dreams as he or she wants.

If you ask me, plans are often limited to A, B and C.

They set us up for disappointment if we expect one thing and get another.

A dream, although not guaranteed, can trigger powerful results.

So, I will leave you with one last question.

Why not?

Grenfell is a senior public relations and management double major and can be reached at [email protected]