“If you do what you love, you won’t work a day in your life”- that’s what is preached to students in order to encourage them to follow their passions. Pursue a career in something that they will enjoy.

For some, that includes music, while for others it includes computers. It varies from architecture to marine biology to German to environmental studies. There is a world of knowledge that us kids have yet to discover, but it takes work.

As a student who just finished her freshman year of college in the pursuit of a career in medicine, I can attest to the fact that college is nothing like high school. It is different, and makes you work in a different way. It challenges you and stresses you like you never have before. But it also makes you evaluate yourself because you are spending all of this time and work into writing papers and studying- but is it for something that you believe is worth it in the end?

Students pursuing a career as a physician have to go through 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of grad, and a few years of residency. This is only possible if you have the grades and scores and resume to move from one step to the other and are dedicated to committing many years of your life to additional studying- all of which is very difficult to do. Even if you aren’t pursuing a career as a physician, 4 years alone to pursue a major or interest or work up in a job is a big time commitment. However, when you sit back and see what you are learning and envision your end goal, sometimes those are the times when you really realize why you are working so hard.

Once in a while there will be nights when everyone is out having fun except you. But those are the nights when you realize that studying for a week straight and not going out was worth it because it gets you one step closer to your goal and one exam closer to the grade that you need and want. But as even though the focus is the destination, it’s important to know that you are also along for the ride. If it is something that you are passionate about and care enough about, the road to getting to your goal won’t seem so intimidating- the key is to take it one step at a time, and listen to yourself and what you are capable of.

Whether it be your love of exercise and developing your body, or your love of helping others, or your love of creating art, or your love of animals- make sure you find a way to take that passion seriously, and make your progress gradual. Envision where you dream to be, what you want to grow into and become. 4 years, whether it be in college or anywhere else, is a long ways to go. Even just after one year away from home and doing my own thing, I already know that I’ve grown much more as a person.

And I know that there are many people out there who don’t have a particular major or path in mind, or no idea where their interests will lead them- but just know that it is ok not to know too. As long as you follow your arrow, and follow where you believe is best for you, somewhere that makes you happy and somewhere you can thrive, there is no doubt that with a little bit of focus and commitment you will be able to find what makes you tick and be what works for you.

Everyone has their own arrows pointing their own directions down different roads- but the key to being happy is to simply follow it.

xoxo