Do what you love.

I'm a teacher. I teach seniors, and I have taught students that are now seniors; and as seniors, they have so many questions about the next step, post-graduation. They are bombarded by people telling them where to go and what to do, and that college is the most viable option out there. But let’s save the college or not talk for next week, and talk about the students on the college path for just a minute.

Big question number one: “Where should I go?”

So many students seem so conflicted on school choice. They have their dream school, the state university or big name college that they’ve been drooling over all their lives. But for those without millions of dollars in scholarship offers, this seems unattainable and overwhelming. The best advice I was given and the best advice I can pass on to my “kids” is to find what you love, find a school that supports it and go there. This helps the student find an environment that enables them to fulfill dreams and meet goals. This provides focus, direction, encouragement, and a support group for the nervous and unsure college freshman.

But this leads inevitably to question number two: “What should I do?”

This one’s a doozy, but the answer is simple: do what you love. My seniors are all passionate, full of this love of life and what it has to offer, regardless of their circumstances. The problem arises when this love is undirected, or worse, poured toward a cause that is undeserving or unfulfilling. They’re conflicted, all wanting to chase the college dream and become these influential people, but they have no idea where to begin. Then they talk to the colleges, and these colleges throw all these majors at them like Mardi Gras beads off a float in the parade. The wealth of information and the vast and overwhelming masses of majors and career choices can be both stressful and confusing and can lead down paths that are just not the right fit.

This is where I tell students that they need to take a step back from the chaos and take a minute (or more) to think about what matters to them. What do they want from life? What do they enjoy? What is their passion? If you hate numbers, engineering may not be for you. If you feel faint at the sight of blood, maybe don’t go to med school. And if you truly enjoy something, that’s what you should do. If you choose a profession you truly love, you’ll do it to the best of your abilities, and you will find the rewards. Don’t chase a paycheck, chase a passion.

When I graduated from high school, I was bound and determined to go to vet school. I had it all worked out – Louisiana Tech for undergrad, then LSU for vet school, and then back to north Louisiana to practice just like my grandfather. But then I got three years in, and absolutely hated the thought of doing that forever. And then I realized something. I LOVE English. The language, the literature, all of it. And more than that I love helping others understand it. I spent three years chasing a dream that wasn’t a passion. And I spent three years attempting to not be my mother (one of the best English teachers in the business) because what girl wants to admit she wants to turn into her mom? But then I broke through that stubbornness, and I found my way to teaching. I’m in my fourth year teaching high school English, and I have found a job that makes my soul happy. Money can’t buy that.

So, students, talk with the advisors. They are there to help you and provide direction. Spend some time job shadowing, and researching the things you love so you can make informed decisions. And maybe, just maybe, spend some time undecided, or undeclared, and take the time to find what you love. Your future will thank you.