It’s fair to say that a large portion of college students are still unaware of what they would like to do with their lives once they’ve graduated. It seems as though, those without the direct school to career path that med students or accounting majors have, have a much more wobbly foundation on which to stand upon. If you belong to the humanities like me, you more than likely understand the frustrations and even embarrassments of getting those regular questions and concerns from family members who just can’t grasp what you plan to get out of an impractical degree like that.

Like me, you probably find yourself going through the constant charade of explaining to them in a now scripted manner that no, you do have more options than becoming a high school teacher. If you have friends that like to tease you like I do, they’ll probably tell you all about the great benefits you’ll get as a gym teacher or janitor. At least that one comes off as a joke.

I felt that such concerns that amounted to a lack of faith in my choices, was a blatant distrust in my ability to make it in this world for simply choosing to pursue that which made me happy. And of course, one or two people are always expected to look at you with those eyes that tell you they’ve seen your impending failure. But when all of them look at you in this way, in spite of the work you have put in and the very real successes you have had, that's what is hurtful.

All too often I feel that those who claim to love you most are consistently those who demand that you compromise in your life. You really only hear from people who couldn’t give a damn any congratulations or receive any admiration for doing what you love and like, even if you won’t be rolling in six figures right out of college. I get that it’s because they have nothing invested in your success and therefore will loss nothing in your failures whether it is emotional or financial loss.

But God sometimes I wish those who loved us would just learn when to not give a damn, and perhaps reflect on the time when they told us we could be anything in the whole wide world. Yet, they forgot to mention that hidden clause that stated “anything in the world given that it leads to a six-figure career right out of college with no risk involved whatsoever.”

There is no dream or aspiration that is too small. If you find enjoyment in something do it. If a certain subject makes you happy and you find yourself asking questions and seeking more from it then take more from it. I am tired of being told that money isn’t everything and then lectured on why my particular field is not going to make as much money as a doctor. What kind of hypocrisy is that to push on impressionable people? And furthermore, the average American does not make what the average doctor makes.

Time and time again anxiety has overcome me because I can’t yet confirm what my bank account will look like when I’m 50, because my path is still being paved. And time and time again I must ground myself in the reassurance that to pave my own path is my choice, even if it is a scary choice. While I wouldn’t be so bold as to call myself an entrepreneur, I believe in the entrepreneurial spirit that one must have in taking risks without the certainty of where you will end up, and that the journey is just as important. Our failures are just as important! And I think that yes, taking the less financially secure route is a risk and I do have the possibility to fail, but that just sounds like life to me. I don’t believe there is an avenue where failure is not a possibility. If I am going to fail, I might as well fail at something I really wanted, and know that I took my shot. What else is courage for.

Furthermore, when picturing what you will be doing ten, twenty years down the line, try to imagine who you will be working with. Because I promise you, that will make the world of difference whether you are a plumber or a surgeon. And if you do have the pleasure to work with people that bring real joy into your life then I would suggest you try not to focus on the money and instead soak up every moment with those precious people Because even the best jobs or careers can be spoiled and made dry by selfish and bitter individuals who only do what they do for a paycheck. Money without passion is a poor substitute. While people may flock to you for your money, it will be passion that keeps people in your life and passion that makes them love you.

Make the most out of the opportunities that support what you really love and what you really enjoy and you will find that you will never be wanting again. What moneys do you need to fund that which you do not lust for, if you have pursued that which has already fulfilled you? Anxiety does not come from you or from the things that make you happy. It comes from those around you that don’t have the faith in you to allow you to go peacefully down the path you pave, simply because they have never been there themselves. Do not be afraid because you can’t tell people what you’ll be 20 years down the line, if you find what you love then pursue it with everything you have and pay no mind to those who wish to hold you back. If your major leaves a little ambiguity in your life, then there’s all the more to explore with it and all the more wonderful possibilities that can come into fruition.