Confessions Of A Future Social Worker

Throughout my life, I have wanted to do nothing more than help others. Interacting with people has always been my forte so majoring in human services and social work was an obvious choice. At the time, I have no idea what I was getting into or how difficult or rewarding this career path would truly be.

Sometimes the material is dry.

Sitting in a fifty minute social policy analysis class may just be one of the most boring things I have ever done, but it is necessary. Without that knowledge, you might as well just quit now and go live in your parent's basement. The dry material is what a career in social work is based on, so get used to it. Trust me though, your other classes will make up for it.

APA 6.0 is a pain.

I may be a writer but citing sources in perfect APA 6.0 format will be the death of me. Every single human services class I have taken uses APA and strictly enforces it. Learn it. Live it. Love it. Eat it. Sleep it. Breathe it. Buy a Writer's Reference, bookmark Purdue Owl, and learn every single rule. Research cannot be done without it.

You have endless career options.

Social work, substance abuse counseling, marriage and family counseling, advocacy, and hospice care are just a few examples of the possible career choices you will have with a degree in human services. Someone is always going to need a helping hand, and as long as you have this degree, you will have a job.

Sometimes class can be a little bit graphic and emotional.

I will never forget my first day of Introduction to Human Services. I left in tears and seriously considered never going back. That tends to happen when you spend ninety minutes discussing child rape, abuse, and death. These are all topics you will be dealing with as a social worker so you might as well get used to them now.

You can advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.

For me, the most important part of my future career is giving a voice to the silent. As social workers, we make sure those who cannot speak for themselves are still provided the care they need, even when they cannot ask for it. I do not know about you, but to me, that is pretty empowering and special.