So college rolls around, and the big question is…What do you want to be? Or maybe even, what do you want to do in your life? For me, this question was way too broad to even begin to think about what I wanted to do with this thing called life. For god sakes, I’m only 18 and I’m supposed to figure out what I’m doing for the next 60 years?

Woah, let’s take a step back.

I jumped around from major to major, pretty much every industry, including psychology, law, business, medicine, to social services. I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to do, so therefore I stuck with the one I was most passionate about, which turned out to be Peace and Justice. With this degree I envisioned working with a non-profit organization, or doing something in social work/therapy someday, but is this it? Is this what I’m bound to for the rest of my life? It can’t be.

Maybe I’m feeling a little too motivated, but I want to be able to say that I worked in multiple industries, and had dozens of jobs that broadened my knowledge of almost everything imaginable.

There’s too many options in this world, and I can’t pick just one. I want to do it all. Let’s start by every type of job that I want to have:

• Teaching English in a foreign country
• Music studio
• Filming/production
• World journalist
• Interior designer
• Disaster relief
• Actress/model1
• Surfing instructor
• Inventor
• Pilot
• Bartender
• EMT
• Work for google
• Photography
• Sports Agent
• Wedding Planner

Is this even realistic? I’d love to think so. A lot of these industries take years and years to develop important skills to master each job, but is there some way that I can have a job in each field for a small amount of time?

Realistically, do I even have enough time to do all of this? How long would it take me to learn each one of these jobs? How much money will I have to save up to take classes on each one? Do I need a degree to have a piece of paper that allows me to work in a specific industry? I guess I’ll find out.

I read a book called “Delaying the Real World” by Colleen Kinder, which was given to me by a supervisor during my senior year capstone internship (If you’re reading this, please know you changed my life, and to all of you who haven’t read it, I strongly recommend to do so). This was the perfect time to decide what I really want to do because I’m graduating and I have no strings attached to any career, or town. I could literally do whatever I want (that sounds scarier than it seems). What do I do now that I’m done with something that I have been doing for the past 18 years of my life? I suddenly lost my identity as a student because I was no longer learning in a classroom so how do I figure out what to do next? I have so many passions in life, so where to begin?

Week after week at my internship, I would come in with a different plan of what I was going to do after graduation, and obviously it became a joke because I couldn’t figure it out. One week would be “I’m applying to graduate schools in Colorado for Marriage and Family Therapy.” The following week I would say “I’m still applying to graduate schools for MFT, but now I have a list of places in California, Florida, New York, Seattle, Tennessee, and Chicago.” Next week it’s, “I decided to look at Social Work and I’m moving back home with my mom.” Finally, the most consistent plan I’ve had for the past 6 months is “I’m moving to San Diego and taking a gap year to work, then going back to school for I don’t know what.” In the time span of one single semester, I changed my mind almost a million times and did so much research for plans that I never stuck to, but my supervisors continuously encouraged that I did what I loved before something I thought I should do because of that’s “how it’s supposed to be.” I thank you for that tremendously!!

So when I think about everything I want to do, I really don’t know where to begin. Maybe research first to see all the academic classes? Or do I start saving money? Do I look up industries and more jobs to see if there are more things I want to do? Do I find internships and work my way up? Sometimes the best thing to do is look up the job you want, and then proceed to look up the job qualifications.

With that being said, I researched a few things and I found out that IT IS POSSIBLE. Never mind all the negatives that could potentially present itself, because if you do what you love then you’ll always make time for it. There’s a lot that I have to accomplish, but the best way is to start one step at a time. Plan one move, focus on it and do it, because the best time to do it is now.

Here’s to starting my new adventure…

If any of you were interested in the jobs I stated above, I added a little information about each job below.

TEACHING ENGLISH IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY:

• You can earn close to $3,000-4,000/month
• Need a TEFFL certification
• Figure out requirements
• Find a country
• Prep for the classroom
• https://www.goabroad.com/teach-abroad

MUSIC/FILM INDUSTRY

• Best option is to apply for a booking manager or studio manager
• You’re not necessarily working on the equipment, but you get the experience in the atmosphere/work environment
• https://www.careersinmusic.com/music-careers/
• http://www.media-match.com/usa/media/jobtypes/job-...

TRAVEL JOURNALIST

• The key is to blog, blog, blog
• Make sure you are able to stand out in one way or another
• ijnet.org/en/blog/10-tips-aspiring-travel-journalists
• Companies don’t pay attention to academic background
• https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/how-to-become-a-travel-writer/

INTERIOR DEISGNER

• Are you able to visualize?
• Are you creative?
• Do you have your own sense of style?
• Associate’s Degree for residential; Bachelor’s Degree for commercial and hospitality
• Learn most from internship
• http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/interior-designer/

DISASTER RELIEF

• Look at FEMA’s website (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
• icrc.org (International Committee of Red Cross)
• National Guard headquarters, website

ATRESS/MODEL

• Research agencies
• Find out what they are looking for
• Create a portfolio of yourself including head shots and full body photos
• Submit to agency and wait for response!

SURF INSTRUCTOR

• Obviously have to know how to surf

INVENTOR

• Maybe I’ll get some ideas along the way, but I do know that you need to make sure that you watch out for scams, because it could get a little pricey

PILOT

• What type of aircraft do you want to fly? Type of pilot’s license?
• Flight school training
• Earn private pilot license
• Earn commercial pilot license
• Gain experience and advance with experience

BARTENDER

• Bartender training class which is 40 hours, 10 modules
• **look on Groupon for discounts** and depends on state

EMT

• EMT Basic training
• Lasts 6 months to two years, 120-150 hours
• Pass a national or state exam
• Roughly $1600, but there is tuition assistance

PHOTOGRAPHY

• Take photography lessons if you aren’t familiar with your camera
• Practice everyday, because I heard from somewhere that practice makes perfect?
• It’s helpful to know about Photoshop and Lightroom

SPORTS AGENT

• Need a Bachelor’s degree, and for the NFL, a master’s degree
• Visit nflpa.com and nbpa.com