“What do you want to do when you grow up?”
Something I used to be so sure of has now become something that consumes my thoughts like the black plague.
At age 5, I knew I was going to be a ballerina.
I even walked on my tip-toes for two years straight—that takes dedication.
Then one day, I just stopped and decided I didn’t want to be a ballerina anymore—a.k.a. my toes started to hurt.
Around the age of 7, being a famous singer became my new ambition in life.
However, once I realized I couldn’t actually sing, acting became my new passion.
*Side note* A tiny pat of me still yearns to be on the big screen.
However, I finally decided that teaching was the most viable career option for me… That is until it wasn’t anymore after 2 years of schooling.
Now, at age 20, a junior in college, I have declared an entirely new major, and the question still looms in the deepest corners of my mind.
What do I want to do when I grow up?
Answer: who the hell knows.
One thing I have learned over the past few years is that as cliché as it sounds, college is about “finding” yourself—a time to make mistakes, learn (or not learn) from them, have fun, and transition into adulthood.
Some people have clear and defined career paths. They’ve been preparing for this for as long as they can remember. College is a mere stepping-stone into the life they’ve always dreamed of having.
Some people—*cough* me—spend 20 minutes looking through the menu at their favorite restaurant unable to decide on an entre just to end up getting their “usual.” Their destination in life is unknown, but they are damn sure trying to figure it out.
Word of advice? Breathe.
It is OKAY that you don’t know what you want to eat for dinner.
It is OKAY that you don’t know if you want you coffee hot or cold.
It is OKAY that you’ve changed your major 2 or more times.
And most importantly, it is OKAY that you don’t know what career path you want to follow.
The funny thing about college is that you can still be a kid, but hold all adult responsibilities. It requires you to grow up, attempt to mature, and actually start thinking about your future. But at the same time, college life also beckons you to live in the moment, to stop planning, and to take everything as it comes.
So, which path do you take?
The answer: both.
Part of growing up is realizing that life is one big, fat, stinking, gigantic mess, and that’s the beauty of it too. You either will or you won’t do something.
You’re either going to be an astronaut, or you’re not.
You’re going to go to law school, or you’re not.
You’re going to marry your boyfriend, or you’re not.
You get the picture.
So go to class tomorrow, or don’t.
Change your major, or don’t.
Graduate college, or don’t.
Either way, you’re going to gain something and lose something at the same time. Make your decisions and have no regrets because life is not about what you want to do when you grow up, it’s about who you want to be.
So next time someone asks what you want to do when you grow up, own your uncertainty and live with #NORAGRATS.
