When asked what we wanted to be in elementary school, our answers were astronaut, doctor, artist, or athlete. Fast-forward 10 years and we were asked again, everywhere we went -- home, school, doctor's office, work. Everyone wanted to know. Our answers changed from the time we were in elementary school. This time, we said tax accountant, corporate lawyer, pediatric surgeon, or photographer.
Then came the time for college applications and visits. After pouring through every pamphlet sent, visits were scheduled. Now, when people asked us what we wanted to do, the question was always accompanied by "what college are you going to attend?"
Fast-forward to the present: You're in college. If you were like me, you changed your major as soon as you arrived. You either found a subject that you enjoyed more or, after taking a class for your declared major, decided that that was not what you wanted to do with your life. Maybe you started school undecided and took your time figuring out your track. Or maybe the major you came in as is still your major. All of these are perfectly normal.
As a rising senior, I get asked what my plans for after graduation are all of the time. My answer: I have no clue whatsoever. The second question after they hear that is "Well, what is your major?" As a digital media major, it's not like the job field is limited. There is a lot that I could do and plenty of places where I could move.
While I do not know exactly what I want, I do know that I want a job that allows me to travel, work creatively and independently and pays enough to pay off my student loans in a reasonable amount of time.
Throughout my time of struggling with what I want to do I have realized a few things.
It is all right to not know what you want, but it is important to not let that stop you.
It is very important to keep working, even if you are uncertain as to where you will end up.
Create goals and meet them.
They don't have to be large end goals like "work in Hollywood" but they should be enough to keep you motivated and progressing. Find small things that you know you want in life or in a job and search for them.
You don't have to work in your major.
Realizing this left me with a lot less stress. Obviously, I love my major and would really like to work in my field but I also have several other interests and passions that I would not mind pursuing.
People are just that: people.
No matter what your field is, there is most likely someone you admire that works in that same field. For me, its easy to look at someone like Steven Spielberg and elevate him to god status. People like him are so successful that it is easy to forget that they are people too, and probably had the same issues you are having when they were younger. No one has had it perfect, and everyone has gone through some sort of struggle to be able to get to where they are now.
In the end, not knowing what you want to do with your life is just a phase. As long as you are proactive and choosing to work and learn, life has a way of figuring itself out. It's more important to figure out who you want to be in life than it is to figure out what you want to be.
