What do you want to be when you grow up?
Are you grown up yet?
Did you get that dream job?
What are our motivators towards a profession when we’re young?
I think the idea we have when we’re young may be simple, but it’s pure. Of course, things get complicated as life goes on, but our core thoughts remain the same. If you wanted to be a doctor it's probably because you were and always will be a people person. If you wanted to be a police officer, I bet you still want to help people. All the kids out there that loved animals probably wanted to be Veterinarians.
Well I was one of those animal loving kids and I am a pre-vet student. I’ve learned over the years that there are so many directions an animal lover could go in. There’s animal rescue, kennel work, animal training, zookeeper, and many more career options for those that want to care for animals. The hardest to pursue is veterinarian. To be a vet, you have to go through four years of college, and then apply to vet school, where only one third of applicants get accepted. These are hard odds to beat. The veterinary profession is very competitive, and once you're in, you'll practically have loans to pay off until retirement. With it seeming to be such a difficult journey, what makes it worth it?
I want to be a Veterinarian. I want to work with and save animals. I want to help animals who were neglected or abused make it to life long, loving homes. The odds don't matter, the loans don't matter, the competition doesn't matter. Only the animals matter in the end.
I want to finish my next two years as an undergrad achieving a Bachelors in Biology and Veterinary Medical Technology, and get a minor in Chemistry. I want to be a certified Veterinary Technologist, when I enter vet school. I want to go to vet school in the south, then specialize in a few areas including Theriogenology and Chiropractic. I might even think about Anesthesia and Surgery, too. I want my focus to be more on large animals, specifically horses, but I don't want to limit myself to the equine world alone. I want to work with highly competitive animals.This is all what I want to do with the rest of my life, and it will make all the hard stuff worth it.
So, the future is a great thing to look forward too, but it doesn't ace tests. Getting into one of not many vet schools means getting good grades, spending a lot of time with animals, and having important extracurricular activities. I don't know what gets everyone else through these difficult times, but I know what's been working for me. My drive is important. I want all my college time to be filled, so I pack it with studying, exercise, leadership, and planning events. Every moment is necessary, and should be used to the fullest of its potential. I want to be busy and I happen to be interested in a career that requires all my moments.
I want to be a Vet and I will spend more than my next few years, striving to get there.
