About a month ago I wrote an article for my friends who were going to be graduating high school. Now that graduation season has come and gone, a lot of them may be wondering what the next step in their lives may be. If they’re going to college they may not necessarily know what they want their major to be. Despite the fact that many people may tell them that’s important to know what you want to do with your life right after graduation, it’s ok to not know yet. Being undecided is not a bad thing. Choosing a career path is a very difficult decision. Just months before, you had to ask your teacher for permission just to use the restroom, and now you have been thrown into this big world full of possibilities that can be overwhelming at times. It’s okay to want to take the time to get to know yourself better and explore your interests.
Even if you felt like you knew what direction you wanted your life to go in while you were still in high school, there is no shame in changing your mind. Another important thing to remember is money should be very low on your priority list as far as choosing a potential career. Obviously you will need money to help pay for bills, groceries, and all the other expenses that adulthood entails, but if you are choosing a career just because you feel like you will get a good paycheck, you probably need to rethink your decision. It’s more important to go into a field that you feel passionate about. As a theatre major, I get asked all the time what my backup plan is, or if I’m worried about the fact that I may not earn a lot of money.
The truth is, I really do feel happy with my decision, and I’m willing to work as hard as I can to be successful in the musical theatre industry. My ultimate goal would be cast in a Broadway show and also teach theatre at the same time. That way other kids can experience the joys of theatre as well. If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you’ll never really work a day in your life, and you won’t have regrets about what might have happened if you hadn’t settled. If you haven’t found that one special thing yet; don’t be discouraged. When you do find it, you’ll just know. Until then, keep exploring new things and enjoy this crazy ride of adulthood.
