Growing up I always thought that I would one day be an aspiring chef or a New York fashion designer. Never did I believe that I would be standing here today on the pathway to becoming someone who strives to help maintain social justice in our everyday lives. As a freshman many people come to college with open majors or a small idea of what they want their major path to be. For me, it was simple, I wanted to be a social worker or someone who could classify themselves to be a part of a helping profession. I want to be able to help those who cannot quite help themselves and be able to create a positive environment for those who are struggling the most in our world. Many people have apprehensions when deciding if a helping profession is right for them due to small pay and the emotional burdens that the occupation may hold. In any job there are going to be good days and bad days. Unfortunately helping a profession sees more bad days than good. At times you must remove a child from an improper situation or tell a family that it is time for them to take their loved one off of life support. You must learn the value of empathy versus the value of sympathy. When you receive a case you must be able to properly evaluate the situation and take action, leaving any personal emotions aside. When a client walks out the door any attachment that you may have to the case must leave with them. These things are considered hard to accept for many people and that is why the demand for helping professions is growing vastly.

When posed the question of "what major are you thinking?" I quickly had no doubt in my mind that social work would be the perfect fit for me. I too once found myself in a helpless situation where I had to rely on therapists to help me. I found that for without them I would still be struggling to this day and would never learn how to help myself. After climbing my way out of the darkness I realized that all along this was all a part of God's plan for me. Now that I have lived through it all, it is my turn to help others. I plan to continue down my major career pathway, volunteering along the way, and gaining experience. I want to become a beacon of hope for those who are struggling to find their way. I want to shed positivity in the areas that need it the most. I want to become that one person who has changed someone's life for the better. Most importantly I want to be me and a part of being me is becoming a helping professional.

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others." - Booker T. Washington