Trying to figure out what job you want to do when you're older is a stressful and difficult topic to think about. How much education you need, how much money you want to make, and what you're interested in are important factors to think about when listing your possibilities. When I was younger, I went through the usual list of professions-- an actor, an artist, or maybe be able to go to space. Now that I'm older, and realize what's actually attainable (and what will give me at least a decent paycheck) those options are pretty much out the window. So I was stuck and had no idea what to aim for in terms of my future job. Until I got to the older years of my high school career, where I could add more science classes to my schedule. Science had always been my favorite subject as a kid and now I was able to focus on it and explore some possibilities of the professions in that field. Now, with many advanced and varied science curriculum under my belt, I can be confident in my decision to go into the STEM field in college and work.
One of the many great things about subjects within the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, is the vastness of all the choices. Robotics, calculus, biology, and computer programming all fall under the same roof. Groups created for STEM include people and topics from each category, and can broaden you to new ideas and areas of work you were never aware of.
Education in this area can be quite difficult and strenuous. Classes have large workloads and complex topics. However, if you stick with it through high school, it can pay off big time when you enter college. STEM majors can give great scholarships, especially if you're a woman in the field. Also, the more exact and specific your major, the more likely there is for you to have better chances of getting in (such as going in to Molecular Biology rather than General Biology). So if a certain branch of your favorite subject really interests you, try going out for that branch. You'll stay motivated in your studies and less people will be applying for the same spot as you.
Ultimately, being employed in a STEM career can be a fulfilling experience full of new challenges and rewarding research. Many jobs are open and available to those with the right education. This field can take you anywhere, from observing populations of wild animals in Africa, to coding new computer programs, to building the next revolutionary machinery device. The work is never dull or boring, and new improvements and discoveries are being made by people who were students just like us, that made the decision to explore STEM.
