“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question you are asked from the moment you can form sentences until the day you actually start your career.
When you're a kid, adults ask you this question in hopes of a cute response. The answer doesn't have to be conventional at all. In fact, it doesn't even have to be true. For me, my answer changed on the daily. My career list was long and varied, including (but not limited to) veterinarian, teacher, wizard, writer, DCOM superstar, the next viral youtube star, and Broadway actress.
When you turn eighteen, this question takes on a whole new meaning. The answer to this question must be more refined and logical. As you begin to look into colleges, the question begins to weigh heavy, and whatever you choose will determine the rest of your life.
At this point in time, peers and grown-ups alike ask this question way more often, as they're naturally curious about what your major will be and what college you've chosen. Most people around me at this time give conventional and praised answers like nurse or teacher, and have applied to schools far far away. By the time I was halfway done with my senior year, however, I had seriously debated getting “I’m not really sure yet” tattooed somewhere on my body so I wouldn't have to force my almost rehearsed response.
It wasn't necessarily the question that bothered me, but the look on their faces as I gave my response. It felt as though my answer wasn't good enough, and that an honor student such as myself should have my entire life plan figured out. The look of disappointment was usually followed by a pep talk about how I'll definitely figure it out once I get there and how I should look into [insert expensive school here] to become an engineer or a doctor.
When you enter college, people continue to ask you the same question, but usually in the form of "what's your major?" When you answer that you don't have one or you don't know yet, you're more than likely to be judgmentally reassured by everyone that you will definitely figure it out by the time sophomore year ends.
The truth is, there's no deadline for when you have to figure out what it is you want to be when you grow up. Some grown-ups don't even have it figured out yet. It is not a race and it is not a competition. Not knowing what you want is not necessarily a bad thing, and does not make you a disappointment.
As I tackle my third year of college, I can attest to the fact that you might not have that epiphany by the end of sophomore year. Majors are not set in stone, and plenty of people find careers that have nothing to do with their degree.
The important thing is to not give up and to continue searching.
