In first grade, I was the kid that took coloring contests way too seriously. I have sketchbooks of clothes I designed and journals with song lyrics scribbled inside. Creativity is something that runs through me. People find joy in numbers or the human anatomy or athletics but I find joy in creating and finding beauty in ordinary things. When I say I'm a Communications major the first thing I always hear is "what are you going to do with that?" or "that's a risky field" or "you'll never find a job." But, to me, it makes perfect sense.
I struggled to find something in high school that truly spoke to me AND felt practical. I jumped from wanting to become a nurse to going to fashion school and then majoring in business. I started college taking business classes and I knew that it was exactly what I didn't want to do. I always told myself that I would never pick a job that doesn't truly make me happy.
I don't want a typical 9-5 just to pay the bills. I also know I don't want a desk job where I sit for 8 hours calculating numbers or working the night shift at a hospital. I want to create and change the way people think and see things. As all my friends chose "safe" routes and "practical" majors, I struggled for so long to find something that spoke to me — when in reality, it was right there all along.
When people ask me what I want to do I can't give them a straight forward answer, because there is not just one job I'm working towards. You don't go to communications school and be a communicator. Rather, it teaches you skills to effectively convey ideas to others. As a communications major you can work in public policy, government, fashion, human resources... the possibilities are endless.
That, for me, is as equally freeing as it is daunting. And yes, there are days when I wish that I was just great at economics and could work for Goldman Sachs, but I know ultimately I would be unhappy. I want a career that I truly feel passionate about -- even if that means I'm not going to make as much as a doctor or a lawyer.
Ann Shoket, the former editor in chief of Seventeen magazine and a woman I very much admire, once said in an interview,
"I think that there are no limits. Never ever, ever limit yourself. Never say, 'That’s not the way it is' or 'I can’t do that' or 'Nobody’s ever done it that way before.' Our world is changing so fast and you have no idea where it’s going. You have to be ambitious and curious and hungry and want to learn everything."
We live in this amazing age where things aren't so black and white anymore. Everyone can take different paths to reach their goals. That definitely makes my parents a little nervous, but it encourages me to work harder and believe that I can do something different and special.
