Job security during the millennial era encouraged many of us to chase after practical degrees. Those being computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, and other math driven STEM careers.

However, as expected the arts are suffering. Many visual artists, spoken words performers, writers, poets, and theatre students are shying away from their calling. Due to fear, people are claiming majoring in disciplines STEM because they believe english is futile, and I disagree. Today we are not encouraged to follow our dreams. Instead,we are instructed to find useful jobs. As a result depression has rose, job retention has decreased, and millennials are experiencing mid-life crisis at the age of 25. Although I am a rising senior in undergrad myself, I have overcome the millennial melt-down. As a 20 year old aspiring poet and writer, I have often doubted my abilities, telling myself I can't or there are enough poets let me due something else! As I mature in my passions I begin to understand my professional purpose. To chase a dream is to overcome the fear of failure. In life, we will all fail at many things; we will fail at assignments, we will fail at work, we may even fail a class. However, our expertise stems from experiences of failure. During college, I have been rejected from 27 internships, fired from 2 jobs, and denied by 3 poetry magazines. I have lost a writing competition after submitting my best work, dropped out of an ROTC program, been blacklisted from ever joining the United States Marine Corps, and even earned my first C in Latin. While this may seem like a long list of failures, it is in fact a long list of experiences that have strengthened me as a writer, student, employee, and overall person. Many times we become discouraged when told "NO," but as my mother has always informed every "NO" is just one step closer to a "YES." It's easy to claim to be a scientist or doctor for the sake of job security. However, if everyone is operating on brains then who is making music, writing poetry, or teaching english classes? Insecurity is understandable, uncertainty is expected, and failure is necessary. So, take take that job, major in that humanity, and chase that dream of being a screen director. After all the best action is taking action and the time to act is now!