Shoutout to anyone pursuing a passion. Shoutout to everyone going into a career that is looked down upon. Shoutout to any human being that is consistently told they won't make enough, won't change the world, won't make a difference, won't, won't, won't, won't. Shoutout to every person being met with opposition for what they want to do with their lives.

Teachers, writers, painters, artists, photographers, special education majors, philosophers, and so many more.

I admire you.

I admire your strength.

I admire your desire to go into a field not for the money, but because of your passion, because of your vision, because of your desire to create some type of change.

I admire that you get up every morning and continue to grind despite the very harsh truth that you will never live a "luxurious" lifestyle. Despite the people telling you that you will fail. Despite the obstacles you have and will face.

It's no joke as someone who very clearly expresses that she wants to write for a living is consistently told my career path is "impractical" and "stupid." I'm often told that my want to change the world with my words- or at the very least, impact someone's life with my words much like many authors have done for me- is not realistic. And my friends pursuing education, art, philosophy and so on here the same thing.

"Change the world? Why don't you change your work ethic and your will."

Friends in majors that are often downgraded, how many times have we been told something of this variation? Too many. Does it even phase us anymore? Or is it just added to the long list of people who don't believe we can do it?

Here's the truth. I know that when I get out of school, I very well might not get a job in the writing field. And if I do, I guarantee I will be a coffee fetcher for some assistant at some publishing company. I will be making little to nothing for insane hours. I have already come to the conclusion and decision that I will need to work as a waitress on top of my 9-5 just to make ends meet. And I accept that. I still pursue my career choice knowing this statement as fact.

Do you think teachers, special education majors, artists, philosophers choose their career because of the money and benefits? No. They decide their path in life because they are passionate about making a difference. They are driven and determined to teach something, create something, be something bigger than they once thought possible.

Many teachers work outside of their school hours at different jobs- they tutor, they bar-tend, they waitress. They're the educators of our children, yet they pay for their own supplies and get little to no benefits.

Many artists work an office job 9-5 and go to their studios at the wee hours of the night. They create some of the world's most historic memorabilia, yet they are addicted to coffee and lose sleep just to get the chance to paint or write or photograph.

Many special education majors work tirelessly outside of their "scheduled" work hours and are still paid little to nothing. They are very selflessly showing that everyone deserves an education yet they are immediately degraded for their career choice.

The list goes on. But the fact remains the same: liberal arts, education, and humanities majors face their own kind of opposition. Yes, every major has its own struggles and obstacles. But why is it that someone pursuing one of these careers is immediately cast away as unintelligent or impractical? Tell me why society has programmed people into believing that teachers, educators, artists, philosophers, etc. are less than.

We take the same amount of general education requirements. We take the same amount of course credit hours that others do in order to graduate. We struggle to get jobs just like others, but we often get paid less for more hours. We are also expected to supply our own materials (I mean the fact that teachers pay for their classroom needs is ridiculous). We work just as hard, just in different fields, don't we? Yet, our choices, our passions, our dreams to better our children or the world are perceived as "stupid." Please, someone explain this concept to me.

Do you call a doctor that wants to find the cure to cancer impractical? Do you call the nurse that opens up a free clinic naive? Do you tell the lawyer who is defending a rape victim dumb? Do you tell the accountant who is working overtime, skipping lunch breaks, and bringing his paperwork home with him in order to get that promotion, stupid?

Don't tell me these people's career choices are idiotic. Don't tell me these people won't change the world. Don't you dare tell me that these people don't have a work ethic or a will.

I am passionate. I am strong. I am determined.

I am pursuing a career that I know will require twice the work and half the praise (and also less than half the monetary benefits). And I know so many people who are doing the exact same thing, being met with the same frustrating opposition, yet they keep their head down and continue grinding towards their goals. I know these people are going to make a difference.

To the people who suffer from these stereotypes, let me tell you. You all give me hope. You all give me strength.

You all are so appreciated in my eyes. I admire you. Keep doing you. Keep pushing, working, grinding, pursuing. I am right next to you, cheering you along the entire way.