Everyone can recall those elementary and middle school days where one question persisted in every classroom: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" There then came a time where fictional careers were no longer an acceptable answer and the world began to ask of us realistic responses. And most adolescents begin to grow unsure of what we want to be. So naturally, we begin to research our interests or maybe just settle on a singular passion of ours which can sometimes work out but we then begin to sound like broken records. "When I grow up, I want to be _________".

The unfortunate part is that these decisions are often made with haste derived from the pressures of society so when the time finally comes, to make this pivotal decision, we hesitate. We hesitate because a million and one questions begin to form and the answers are no where in sight. What if we don't actually enjoy this profession? What if we change our minds? What if we're making the wrong decision?

This feeling of uncertainty can be taunting and the surrounding world can make you feel like you have to decide right in this moment. The truth is, as young adults who are looking ahead at the rest of their lives, one of the hardest things to do is make a choice based on imaginary expectations. We dream ourselves up this reality of what we think our futures will look like and then we're scared out of our minds because we realize...we actually have no clue. For the past three years I have been committed to the idea of majoring in communication disorders and becoming a speech-language pathologist.

Then my senior year of high school approached and I had this daunting thought and became mortified that I wouldn't actually like being a speech therapist because I had no idea what exactly they did. Fast forward to today and I am absolutely in love with the field of speech pathology and I have my internship to thank for that.

At my high school it is a requirement that we take a class titled senior seminar. In this class, the second half of the year is dedicated to finding each senior an internship, if they want, within their desired field of study. I knew immediately that I wanted to intern with the elementary school's speech therapist and thanks to my instructor, Mr. Dondero, I was able to do just that.

I spent the last few months sitting in on countless therapy sessions and absorbing as much knowledge as I could. I remember distinctly, after my first day interning, I thought to myself: "I can not wait to do THAT for the rest of my life." Without that opportunity, I would have never been able to experience that extreme relief of confirming my passion and discovering the love for my future career. My internship was one of the few high school ordeals that felt uniquely mine and served for my own personal benefit.

If you are given the opportunity to achieve such a feeling of relief and such a burst of inspiration, I urge you to take it. Without my internship, I might still be overwhelmed with uncertainty. Not only did I gain incredible knowledge and insight but I gained a confidence I never had before. Because of my internship, I am more confident than ever in my abilities and my capability to be an incredible Speech Pathologist. And so, I thank not only my instructor but my mentor as well, Mrs. Moschetta. I thank them both for rewarding me with a glimpse of the future that I otherwise would not have known.