The Pressure of Choosing A Career Path | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Life Stages

If You Wonder Why So Many Post-Grads Struggle With Their Mental Health, It's Because You Put Too Much Pressure On Us

What's waiting at the end?

123
https://unsplash.com/photos/99C5lrAyxpQ

Life: what is it?

A choice we make to wake up every day and to get things done.

In really technical terms - "the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally" - thank you, dictionary.com.

This year so far, I've seen and felt tremendous pressure in figuring out what I want to do with my life after college. While this isn't something that I'm 100% sure of yet, it's something that's constantly on my mind. I'm always dreading needing to finally sit down and decide what I want to do after getting my costly degree. What if I can never finally choose something?

Photo by Ryann Flippo

As a 21-year-old girl, I can loudly announce that I am still very much stuck in a pickle about this subject. Trying to resolve this issue and to have to choose just one thing is so difficult and to me, it seems impossible to be able to do.

There can't be just one big thing that I must choose to do for the rest of my life. I'm an extremely picky person and crave change after some time. There's a fear: what if I grow bored or tired of what I'm doing, and want a change? That's not always possible in the real world. There is, however, a vast amount of things to choose from and endless amounts of opportunities. I just have to be sure that whatever I choose, that it's really what I want to do.

That it's what I want to be waking up every day to and that I'll go to work happy and not dread the things I do for a career.

I want to love what I do because I hear from mounds of people that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.

I thought I had this whole career and life thing figured out in elementary school when I decided I wanted to be a pilot. To a veterinarian, to a writer, to a teacher, to a hairdresser, to a cosmetologist, to a marketing businesswoman, to a psychologist, back to a veterinarian… and to a journalist. Because of my uncertainty and my constant changes of majors and minors, I've never been sure of what I want.

Photo by joyce huis

There are some things that I'm certain of with no change: my best friends, my boyfriend, and my family. They'll always receive my unconditional love, understanding, certainty, and support. The real question is: what is it that I want for people to support about me? There has to be something. Anything.

It's gotten to the point - at different times in my college career - that I've almost given up looking and searching for what it is I want to do with my life and as a career. College has always been a dream of mine though, so now that I'm here, I figure that I might as well enjoy the years while I can.

I want to enjoy the years after college too…

Photo by Kristina Tripkovic

I have a choice to make.

Even though I'm still undecided, I have a general idea of the direction that I want to go into. There will always be opportunities to volunteer, to have a minor, and to be able to get degrees in multiple things. It'll all just take time and a little courage and confidence boost.

Meet you on the other side.

Photo by Miguel Bruna

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
female tv characters
We Heart It

Over the past decade, television has undergone a very crucial transition: the incorporation of female lead characters. Since it's a known fact that girls actually do run the world (Beyonce said so herself), it's time for the leading ladies of the small screen to get some credit. Without these characters, women would still be sitting in the background of our favorite shows. These women are not only trailblazers for female empowerment, but role models for women worldwide. With that, here are 15 of the smartest, sassiest ladies gracing our screens that remind us that women do, indeed, rule:

Keep Reading...Show less
New Now Next
New Now Next

If you are like me, you have an interesting personality. Basically, you love to be sassy and snarky, gossip, and act like a total bitch (not really), but deep down, you are actually a very genuinely nice person. The idea of actually hurting someone truly makes you feel bad, and you probably have never actually hurt someone’s feelings because your kindness always shines through, even if you do not want it to. Not sure exactly what I would call this type of personality, but if you identify with it, here are some feelings you can undoubtedly relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf
Cub Magazine

We all have a little bit of Blair Waldorf inside of us. You may not realize it, but you're probably guilty of at least nine out of ten of these listed points. So why don't we reminisce on the famous Blair Waldorf moments where we realized we were actually her at certain times through the series?

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Confessions Of A Sleep-A-Holic

If your plans get cancelled, there is a 99.9% percent chance you are sleeping.

1761
woman lying on bed
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash

1. What are some of your hobbies? Does sleep count?

I'm so good at sleeping I can do it with my eyes closed

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

7 Reasons To Watch One Tree Hill

"There is only one tree hill, Jaime Scott."

1847
one tree hill
Wikipedia Commons

If you need a new series to watch, I recommend One Tree Hill. I watched this series three times now and it only keeps getting better. If you need any more reasons beside the fact that all of the seasons are on Netflix for your binge-watching pleasure, here are seven more reasons to watch it.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments