Some people have their life plans straightened out before they even get to high school.
I was one of those people.
I just knew I was going to be a neurosurgeon and go to Harvard and marry another doctor and have lots of kids and dogs.
But after a lot of consideration, I realized that I could never live that life. I was never going to be able to get through medical school, and that’s okay.
Why do we want 14-year-olds to pick a career path? Their brains are not fully formed, and they are expected to make decisions that some adults haven’t even made.
When you ask a kindergartener what they want to be when they grow up, their answer is princess, firefighter or astronaut.
You ask again in fifth grade, and the answer is doctor, lawyer or teacher.
You ask once again in ninth grade, and most students have no idea.
The expectations we have for high schoolers are too high. Why?
They are just trying to get through school and deal with their friends and families and ridiculous expectations.
Whether you’re 14, 24, or 34, it’s okay to not know what you want to do.