Humanity is generally scared of change. Some people embrace the idea of change with open arms but many stay away from it at all costs. No matter which group you fall under, you have to admit that change is scary. Whether you are graduating high school, going away to college, starting a new job, or, in my case, going back to school, there are no guarantees in life and that alone can be terrifying.
When I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I made the decision to attend a local community college where I received my Associate Degree in Medical Assisting Technology and a diploma in Medical Coding. I had no desire to go to college for longer than two years so I thought I was done. After my graduation, I became certified as a Medical Assistant and set out in search of a job. The community college that I attended had sent me an email regarding a job opportunity soon after graduation and I immediately emailed my resume to the office manager of the medical practice. Within about five minutes, I received a phone call and set up an interview. A few days later I attended my interview and within ten minutes of leaving I received a call offering me the job. Everything seemed as if it was falling into place.
Unfortunately, it did not take long at all for things to begin going downhill. The longer I stayed at this job, the more depressed I was. My job ended up being nothing along the lines of the description I was given. I had a boss who did not treat anyone fairly and we ended up losing many employees because of it, making my job much more complicated because I had to take on multiple roles in the office. On top of all of that, I was not being paid nearly what I should have been. I had never been so unhappy in my entire life. I came home after my 8-hour shift every day and cried. I spent months trying to find another job but never found anything. It did not take me long to realize that Medical Assisting was not for me and that I needed to make a change.
Once I finally realized that for my own health and well-being I needed to make a change, it all happened very quickly even though I had no idea what I was looking for. Out of curiosity, I was searching through programs that local colleges were offering, not expecting to find anything...then I landed on a Healthcare Management/Administration major at UPJ. As I read through it I immediately realized this is what I want to do and sent in my application. Soon after I was accepted to UPJ chose to return to school as a full-time student. I then reached out to my store manager from the job that I had all through college to beg for my sales associate job back. I knew I would not be making a ton of money, but I had to get out of the situation I was in. She quickly accepted me back and even gave me a promotion along with it, which I am still extremely thankful for. The very next day I walked into the office I had been working in and quit my job. It was one of the scariest things I have ever done, but also one of the best decisions I have ever made.
The point I am trying to make with all of this is that change is good. As much as I hated that job that I had, it helped me to realize early on what I wanted to do with my life, as well as what I didn't want to do. Change is scary, but it is necessary. My experiences have opened my eyes and showed me that it is okay to take risks and to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. You never know where you will end up. If someone had told me two years ago that I would end up going to school for a Bachelor Degree I would have thought they were crazy. If you are not happy with your life, do something about it. Make a change. Don't just sit back and hope things get better. Do what you can to make yourself happy because, in the end, you are in charge of your own happiness.