There are the people in college that have a plan and know exactly where they want to end up come graduation. Then there’s people like myself that are getting a broad degree that could apply to 101 different things. As my junior year approaches this can be a daunting thought to have in the back of your mind.

These past couple of years my career goals have changed at least five times. I’ve had moments of envy for those that knew they wanted to be a teacher, doctor, accountant, etc. These feelings were amplified when I have extremely successful parents, a brother that’s a Marine and a boyfriend that’s in med school.

Without the motivation of having that dream career it was hard to give school my all if I didn’t know what I was working so hard for. I always thought if I just knew what I wanted to do then every study session, exam or speech would be fueled by that want for my dream. I would know that in order to get where I want to be I would need to first accomplish this task at hand. It all would be worth it.

As time went on and many conversations had with my advisor and loved ones I felt a sense of contentment. They reinforced that I didn’t need to have it all figured out. Even for those that know what path they want to take, things constantly change and plans get flipped upside down. I came to the realization that having a plan isn’t the end all be all.

Not everyone is destined to attain a one specific career. There are many people that can be and are successful in a variety of settings. With this being the case for myself I changed my perspective towards the near future. I didn’t need to know what my career was going to be because it could forever be changing.

With this new mindset I felt a sense of freedom and no longer that daunting pressure. I made countless meetings with successful people that had varying careers. I found that talking with someone that’s currently in the field that you’re interested in is a lot more helpful than any research you do online. Through meeting with these people I was creating my own network. There is a domino effect with networking because by connecting with one person you are then connected with their network and so on.

A lot of things in life are determined by the people you surround yourself with. I figure the more people I come into contact with, the better my chance at scoring those future dream jobs because so and so knows so and so.

The one thing I do know is that I will more than likely need a degree to get to where I want to be. That alone is enough motivation to get up for my eight a.m. class. The only things I can do in the meantime is work at my fullest potential and continue to form those valuable relationships.

Instead of being fearful towards my unknown future I now view it as an exciting journey without maps. The off road tracks are usually more fun anyways.