Rites of passage are a significant experience in a person's life that transitions them from one phase of a life to another, from adolescence to adulthood. Every journey is not necessarily determined by the choices people make. Many journeys people make are influenced by the decisions they personally make. However the family and friends that surround them may make choices or pressure them into choosing a different path. In some circumstances things are out of people's control, they have no choice but to deal with what they are dealt. The choice of one leads them to determine the journey they will live. Everybody is put in a position during their life where they have to decide whether to take one path or another, to choose one way of life over another. These choices can have a major impact on the rest of their life. The choices you must make start from a young age. When you are in school you must choose what you wish to study, which effects the job you have and the life you live in the future. Paul from a young age told himself that he was "one day [was ]going to play" the piano in front of hundreds of people. These decisions lead him to practise and practise, to be the best that he could be, rewarding him in the future. The people you choose to spend your time with, and people you choose to have as your girlfriend and boyfriend also play a major role in the life you live. Paul choose Rosie over Megan, love over popularity. he was put in the position where he had a dilemma between Keller and Rosie and even though he "loved [Keller] in many ways" he "loved Rosie more." .
The pressure and persistence over choices of loved ones and friends can affect a person's journey. The people that are closest to you can influence and lead you in ways that you would not have chosen. Parents particularly have a major say is how you live your life, what school you go to, what subjects you do, what friends you have.