There is a certain stigma that surrounds the idea of “a head in the clouds”. They say dreamers have a mind that brews unrealistic ideas. From the start, children have heads filled with ideas that are put aside as “childish dreams” that they will one day let go of. As they grow older, adults tell them to grow up and become realistic. Being one of these fellow dreamers, I understand the out of place feeling, not wanting to follow the typical pre-med track or become a lawyer. You receive the judgmental comments about your major or your plan in life. As a current journalism student, I am here to tell you that it is ok to break out of the cookie-cutter mold that you were trained to fit in to.
As an upperclassman high school student, the hot question is always where you plan on going to school and what you plan on studying. It is pretty easy to tell whether the one asking the question approves of your choice or not after you answer. When I tell people I attend the University of Missouri (Mizzou) I get the typical nod of approval that is quickly replaced with disapproval after revealing that I am currently studying journalism. “How do you plan on making money or a career out of that?” “You must not be smart enough to study something as difficult as pre-med.” “Looks like I will be seeing you working at my local coffee shop in ten years.” I have heard it all. Before making my official decision I was not sure if it was the right major for me. How could something that everyone disapproves of be the right field of study for me? I had never met anyone that wanted to be a journalism major, it was simply unheard of. Being a dreamer, I decided to trust my heart and do what I have always wanted to do, write, and one semester in to my college career and I can tell you that following my dreams of becoming a journalist in New York City someday was the best decision I have ever made.
Have you ever had those moments that reassure yourself? You do something and realize that you were right all along? This is how writing and studying journalism felt to me. I had finally found what fit me and discovered an entire community of people that were just like me. To all of those dreamers second guessing themselves, don’t. The people that do not understand you do not make a difference in your future. The judgmental stares you receive now will disappear and the comments will stop. Just because a path is not the same as someone else’s does not make it inferior. For the one person that does not understand you, there are hundreds out there that are exactly like you. If there is one thing that I have learned over the last year it is that dreams are not as far out of reach as you think they are. Dreams can become your reality with lots of focus and hard work. For dreamers may have their heads in the clouds, but I have discovered that it is much better than having your feet firmly rooted on the ground.
