Throughout my time in college so far, it seems as if everyone already has an idea as to what they want to pursue as a future career. Well, for those of you who simply have no clue, you’re not alone, because I am one of you. I can’t tell you how many careers I’ve considered even as recent as my senior year in high school. Not only have they changed at the drop of a hat, but they’ve been all over the map; journalist, physical therapist, advertising marketer, special education teacher, coach, and psychologist just to name a few.
When I was in high school, several people told me that it was okay to not know what you want to do for a career. I would have plenty of time in college to explore and just “figure it out”. Well, here I am, a college freshman, still in the same place I was over a year ago, and despite all of the assurance I’ve received from family and friends, I can’t help but worry whether I will ever find out what I should do.
One thing I have realized however is that sometimes an opportunity can arise out of the most unlikely of places. At St. Mary’s, every freshman is required to take a CORE class that introduces first years to college courses and focuses on specific subject matter. Due to a scheduling conflict, I was forced to choose one called “The Political Novel”. I had never expressed interest in politics whatsoever in the past, and needless to say, I was not thrilled to take this course. One of the topics we covered throughout the class was warfare, focusing on Vietnam and the controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay. This inspired me to take interest in our soldiers who are fighting right now, and using this inspiration, I wrote a paper about post traumatic stress disorder, what was once a taboo subject in warfare.
While conducting the research on this paper, I had found something that truly fascinated me. Coupling this with my love of psychology, I’ve come up with yet another career option. At the moment, I’ve been considering joining the Army Medical Corps as a clinical psychologist, and for once, I can actually see myself pursuing this. Knowing my history, I’m aware that this idea is liable to change, but it’s a comforting feeling knowing that I have an actual goal in mind, and a path I can follow, rather than just guessing my way through my college classes.
If there’s any moral to this anecdote I’ve provided, it’s that you should take advantage of every opportunity given to you, even if you think you won’t like it. My CORE class turned out to be one of my favorite classes last semester, and it helped me uncover an interest I never knew I had. And for those of you still trying to “figure it out” it really is okay if you don’t know just yet. Explore every option and find your passions. Take your interests and turn them into a career. Remember that very few people ever know what they want to do before college, and those who do often change their major before graduating. Keep searching and keep your head up, because you aren’t alone.
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