A few weeks ago, I was helping interview some freshman for certain programs. One of the questions we asked some students was, "If salaries did not matter, what job would you pursue and why?" We got some really cool answers, but it really got me thinking: am I pursuing my career for the right reason?
The majority of the students responded with "teacher," because they felt like it would be a privilege to pour into students. Many had been influenced by outstanding teachers or professors, and they said that teachers are not given the credit they deserve. Other answers that I thought were super cool were "social worker, astronaut, environmental consultant, non-profit lawyer, and chef."
Since coming to college, I have befriended several individuals who are pursuing really interesting fields of study. I always find inspiring when I meet someone who is really passionate about what they are doing.
One of my close friends and I were talking about our classes this semester and she told me, "Sometimes I feel like people look down on me because it is sophomore year and I'm still taking random classes and I still don't have a set major." While some people may think that, I respect her 100% for what she is doing.
By no means is she taking easy courses. She is taking classes that challenge her; classes about international studies, secret intelligence, and even Russian. She is enjoying her time here at Ole Miss, and she is growing in so many ways.
So often we pressure people into declaring a major or deciding on a career early on. College changes us though. We meet people and experience things that change our whole perspective.
We find things that we become passionate about - things that maybe we did not know even existed. We put such an emphasis on salaries and social status of careers, and it can be a good thing to be motivated by things like that, but sometimes we get caught up in things that do not matter as much in the long run.
So I came home after interviews and did some thinking. I realized that while yes, I still want to be a doctor, my backup plan changed. I started thinking of what I want to do if one day I realize medicine isn't for me. It might not be what first comes to mind when we think of a "successful career," but I think that it is super awesome:
Park Ranger. I realized after spending part of my Spring Break in the Grand Canyon, that I would absolutely love living there. If I could spend every night in my Eno with the stars over my head, I would be living a darn good life. Waking up every morning to a canyon sunrise, sharing one of the wonders of the world with visitors daily, and soaking in nature sounds like a dream to me.
All this to say: if you are undecided on what you want to do, it is okay. Don't feel pressured to plan your whole life out your first, or second, or any year of college. Challenge yourself.
Expand your horizons. Ultimately, you will be working for much longer than you will be in school, so make sure that you are on track to do something that you are going to love.
