When we are younger and asked what we want to be when we grow up we typically change our minds each time we are asked. One moment we might want to be an astronaut and there might be a time we want to be a doctor. For me, I changed dream careers as fast as someone would snap their fingers or clap their hands. I never knew what I wanted to do all I knew was that I wanted it to be something I was good at and something I enjoyed.
As the college year begins new students will arrive on my college campus and begin their journey to not only find what they want to do with their life but who they want to be. Of those new students, there will be some who have no idea what they want to do and others who will be told that their dream is unachievable. I have fit into both of these categories before and at times still feel I do. There is nothing wrong with chasing a dream but don't let negative people try and tell you any differently.
To the new student,
Congratulations!
You made it to college. College allows us to express and explore different parts of our identity and gives us the opportunities to grow and prepare us for the future. You learn about your identity, the people you want to surround yourself with and what events may be easy and hard for you. You are always learning in college whether you are in the classroom or not and each day you understand certain ideas better.
However, there are going to be some tough times in college. You may enter college thinking you want to focus on a specific area to study and you will lose interest. This is completely normal as I immediately knew my major wasn't right for me and I wanted to change. Don't let the idea of changing your major make you believe that you still cannot achieve your dream career. There are many people who graduate from college with a degree in one field and end up working a career completely different from their degree.
If you want a specific career, begin reaching out to professors and people they may know who work in your area of interest. This is a direct look at how people can see what they would be doing in this career and will help determine if this is something you want to continue to pursue. Having connections such as professors and their colleagues will also allow you to connect with certain internships and lead to a job.
There are going to be people throughout your life who may try and get under your skin about a certain decision. It is up to you to prove them wrong. If you want to be a lawyer and there are people in your life who might not support that decision let that be your motivation. There are hundreds of people waiting for you to fail but find a way for you not to give them a reason to be excited about your failure.
Your dream job isn't unachievable. If you work hard in college and immerse yourself in different clubs and activities you will find ways to grow and be prepared for your career. There are many people who are ready to see you fail but show them why you won't fail. Let the people who looked down on you change how they see a situation. If you want to be an entrepreneur and you think you have a great idea go meet with other businessmen and women and see how that idea can be improved and if it can be used. There are people out there willing to help you and it is up to you to find them.
