My first conscious thought was definitely not, "I want to be a writer when I grow up!" Not even close. Like many other little girls, I cycled through career choices on a weekly (if not daily) basis. My dream jobs included ballerina (later, a ballet teacher, despite the fact that I never really took dance lessons), professional chef, elementary school teacher, cheerleader, etc.
I slowly figured out over the course of my 18-year-long life that I did not have the flexibility, patience, or raw talent that was required of these professions. I assume most children go through this revelation at one point or another; it becomes obvious that the world is actually not immediately at your fingertips, despite the "you can be whatever you want to be" mantra repeated throughout their elementary education. It has recently begun to blow my mind that children can look me in the eye and tell me exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives while I know 20-somethings who couldn't give me even an example of a talent they possess, much less a career decision.
There are exceptions. My grandmother knew from the time she was 10 that she wanted to go into elementary education, and she was exactly that, an elementary teacher, until she retired. As much as I used to wish I had been in that situation, I'm very glad I hadn't decided on the rest of my life when I was a child. My relatives will still want to tell me that I am a child, and that's what I want to address. You will never run out of time to become the person you want to be. College degrees (while extremely useful) do not determine the kind of job you must have. Your parents' occupations or expectations do not determine the kind of job you must have. Your past jobs do not determine what kind of job you must have.
Guess what determines the kind of job you have? That's right: you. It sounds pretty simple, but unfortunately, a lot of people don't get to do what they're passionate about, or they don't find out what their passion is until late in life. Even though there should be no rush at all in deciding your career, it breaks my heart to hear from classmates and peers who are spending a fortune on a college education with which they have no clue what to do.
Your career will take up the better part of your life. You must enjoy it. Regardless of the degree you get in college (which you should enjoy working towards), your career must be something that you look forward to while rolling out of bed in the morning. Think about it this way: do you like helping people? Do you like people helping you? What makes your heart sing? Painting? Poetry? Pottery? Do you get some kind of rush from solving an intensely long math equation or get excited about a successfully completed experiment? Are you like me, a lover of the written word?
I personally don't know what they teach you in those "Career Finder" classes. They probably assess your strengths, your general abilities, etc. But something I've learned throughout my lifetime, from my parents, teachers, and superiors, is this: regardless of the types of talents you have, they are worth nothing if you don't put effort in.
Dabble. Experiment. Seek out internships and advice. Join a club. Your ideal career will not find you. Here that is again: your ideal career will not find you. You must go after it. It's okay if you aren't sure yet. The only thing you need to be sure of is that you are putting your all, 110 percent, into your career search and, ultimately, your adult life. Take a deep breath, step off the edge, and do everything you can to ensure your future self thanks your present self for all that hard work.
