Calling someone's career path cute is about as irritating as it gets. Don't judge or brush off what you've never done.

Dogs are cute. Bunnies are cute. Your outfit is probably cute. Heck, even those cupcakes are cute. Cute is dainty, docile and delicate. I used to think that being cute was a good thing, a compliment. I would even smile and say thank you when someone told me that my dream of becoming a teacher was cute.

In some ways, being cute is a good thing and not the worst thing in the world. But then I realized that no one calls the lawyers cute. No one calls the doctors cute, and no one dares to say that being an engineers is cute. They carry big textbooks, work in big buildings and use their even bigger minds do the work that helps all of society the most. There is nothing delicate about building bridges or drilling for oil.  

Teachers work just as hard as the engineers, doctors and lawyers; they worry and stress just as much and put in the same amount of hours at their jobs. But teachers, allegedly, play in classrooms with kids and just throw in some homework at the end of the day.           

When you watch every hand in the classroom raised when asked if they've heard gunshots in their neighborhood, seen shy students crawl out of their shells and stun the class with their incredible knowledge and insight, or read the story of a five-year-old girl whose father didn't want her, left her and ultimately blamed her, you understand that teachers are equally as important to society as doctors, lawyers and engineers. Observing this while working with kids in the Sooner Upward Bound program over the course of the summer was difficult, and I loved every second of it. I am fortunate to have years of this wonderful, awe-inspiring, powerful work.          

In addition to helping students grow, I will be expected to teach. I will attempt to convince them that Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and Salinger are worth their time. I will plead with them to weep for Ponyboy and ask them to shudder when reading Poe. I will ask them to be honest, creative, daring and original in their writing. Learning to express oneself and have empathy, and learning to learn is what gives life soul. To teach students how to explore and come to know themselves through the power of the written word is no small task. These are the things that make the human experience matter and I will be responsible for communicating this to adolescents all while maintaining my professional composure. Am I still cute?          

Your chosen career matters. Whatever it is, I appreciate your hard work and courage to follow your dreams. I urge you to not belittle others because you cannot see the value in their work. Rather, learn to expand your mind beyond your field and see that our differences are invaluable.