This past week, I found out I received the summer internship I had been dreaming about, one with Teach For America where I'll be working behind the scenes at their summer institute in Texas. This is an internship that I have wanted since September when I first found out about it. As someone who has a passion for service and education, I am so excited to spend the summer working with this amazing organization.

You might be wondering how this relates to the subject of embracing your path versus falling into the comparison trap. Well, the thing is, I AM beyond honored and thrilled to be spending the summer doing something I love.

Yet I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes fall into periods of doubt.

The people around me are doing research or interning with prestigious business firms, and it sometimes makes me wonder whether I am doing the right thing. Is that the path I should be walking towards? In case you've ever experienced something similar, I'm here to remind you that as the cliché goes, there are many paths in life.

Everyone has their own dreams, so the way that these dreams play out looks different for different people.

Just because you're not doing the same thing that everyone else seems to be doing, doesn't mean you're not doing the right thing. We need our teachers just as much as we need our doctors or business professionals or any other occupation you can think of.

Don't doubt yourself. You're on the path you're on for a reason. You have your own dreams and goals, own that. Everyone's path looks different and everyone's path is valued and necessary.

The way you achieve these goals might look different than the way someone else does, but different doesn't mean wrong.

What's important is to put yourself on the path towards doing something you love, something you are passionate about, rather than something you think you should be doing. Yes, I'm a math major, but I am extremely passionate about service and education equity, so I am more interested in using my knowledge as a math major in my given occupation to connect to those things. This is a different path than someone who is a math major and passionate about data analytics or computer science. And that's okay. Neither of these paths is better than the other.

As another saying goes, "comparison will kill you."

If you spend your days paying attention to what other people are doing, you leave no room to set your intentions on what you want to be doing.

So the next time you doubt yourself and the path you're on, remember that we are all unique individuals who have different interests and goals in life. Take a second to recognize what it is that YOU want and some steps you can take to get there.

Because in the end, you want to be something you care about, not something you felt obligated to pursue. Chase what makes you joyful, embrace that path.

Talk soon,

Sam