How old were you when you decided what you wanted to be when you grew up?There’s been a lot of talk of future careers in my household lately as my kids try to figure out what they want to do when they grow up (which is happening a lot faster than I like). As it is right now, one is almost ready to fly the coop, high school and college loom for the other two.
One thing my husband and I can’t stress enough to them is that there’s no need to decide Right Now.
Because, honestly, we know all too well how plans can change. What might interest you as a teen might not be your true calling.
When I was 18, I was convinced I wanted to be a medical examiner. After marriage and motherhood, my career plans morphed into writing. Even now I toy with the idea of getting a nursing degree. But knowing what I do now, if I were 18 again, I’d be an English major with hopes of becoming an editor (and probably still would have ended up writing!). My husband, a chemical researcher, would have chosen journalism or law.
So for now, we keep telling the kids to take lots of different classes that won’t pigeonhole them into one field, and to keep an open mind. And to also know that it’s okay to change your mind—at any age.
How about you? Is your job what you always wanted to do? What you went to school for? If you could be 18 all over again, would you choose the same path?
~heather
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18 comments:
Heather, you've convinced me: tomorrow morning, I'm quitting.
Seeing as I've never used my degree (B.S. Athletic Training). I'd say that if I were 18 again I'd get my nursing degree then instead of going back in my 20's to get it.
When I was a kid I KNEW what I wanted to be but unfortunately at that time, girls either grew up to be teachers, nurses or mommies.
I wound up being one out of the three and frankly, I hated it. I was never good at it and I got out of it as soon as I possibly could.
It was not for me, I resented it constantly and even now that I am 60 I am sorry that I wasn't able to pursue the career that I felt was really right for me.
They say if you are not on track for your career by the time you are 30, you never will be.
In my case, this turned out to be 100% true.
Writing is my fifth career, by last count. I went into each fully intending to stick to it, but life kind of got in the way. At least I'm flexible!
I think the current generation of twenty-somethings takes the idea of a linear career much less seriously than we did. My college-graduate daughter is working in "retail" (i.e., running the cash register at a bookstore) while trying to figure out what to do next. I can't offer any advice, beyond "enjoy the moment."
I wanted to be a jocky, not because I could ride a horse, but because I loved them and wanted to. I didn't figure out what I wanted to be until I was in my 40s!
I was one of those who knew what she wanted to be from the age of ten. And now, thirty years later, I have no regrets in that department.
I'm seriously thinking of going to nursing school. This after being trained as a surgical technologist, medical assistant (not formally though) and raising a family.
Hindsight really IS 20/20.
But I wouldn't want to be 18 again for all the tea in China.
As a child, it was ballerina. I loved ballet (still do) and I was good at it.
Then came puberty.
In sixth grade, I thought being a writer would be fun.
In high school, it was therapist and a writer.
Now, it's a writer and a phlebotomist.
I think I always knew inside that I was supposed to be a writer, but always sounded so impractical (still is), so I avoided it. I graduated from college with a degree in English Lit and Journalism but couldn't get a job in it because it paid so little and my husband to be and I were getting married and I needed to support us while he finished school. So, I went back to being a secretary since I'd used those skills every summer and part-time to put myself through college. And it paid a whole lot better. Later I re-tooled and went back to grad school and wound up in accounting studies but it fascinated me. Next thing I knew, I was a CPA.
But the characters were always there. Peeking out of the bushes and demanding to be written. Finally I started writing and balanced it with the job and raising a famiy.
If you're meant to do it, you'll find a way.
As a little girl I wanted to be a vet...until I lost my first cat to a brain tumor. No way could I be around animals suffering everyday without having a serious breakdown.
I've always loved reading and writing. I now work for a construction publication...not exactly the kind of writing I had in mind, but I enjoy it.
I'm at a point where I'm ready to change my career. I've done it before, and I've had no regrets. I think it's a sad thing if someone makes a choice (at any age) and gets into a career, to then discover that they don't enjoy it, yet stay for years and years because they are too afraid to pursue a different option. Tough and challenging yes, but it can be done. I agree with you and think that your kids should take all sorts of classes. And then they should follow their interest, as opposed to something that might just bring them a lot of money, but not as much satisfaction.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse - then during nursing training, I got my first look at a naked man and panicked. I went into medical transcription instead.
Looking at myself now, I wish I had known back then how fascinated I would become over buildings. I wish I could have been an architect...
I always wanted to be an engineer like my dad, but he refused to pay for my first year of school if I did that. So I took Library Science, and got a Bachelor's Degree. If I was going to be a librarian, I wanted to be a public librarian or work at the Library of Congress, but that needs an advanced degree, and I could not handle more school then.
So I got into the Government as a lowly clerk/typist. Soon worked my way into working with computers, then network administration, and now I work with video teleconferencing.
None of that has ANYTHING to do with library science, but does have in common a need for attention to detail, and a strong focus on customer service. So at least some of my training has helped me in life.
Besides, I know where to go to find things out!
Theo, it's about time.
Katie, you'll be a great nurse! And at least you figured it out fairly early.
Sunny, I'd hate for my kids to resent what they did, so we're big on pursuing what their interests are, rather than what we think they should do.
Sheila, well, I'd say the writing is working out for you! Congratulations on the Agatha nomination! Woo-hoo!
Deb, have you seen the jockey show on Animal Planet? I haven't yet, but it looks intense!
Laura, you're really lucky to have known it all along!
Debbie, you'd be a great nurse, too! I can totally see it. Start filling out those applications!
LOL, Marissa. That's quite a path. I'm always amazed at phlebotomists. My hand isn't that steady!
Maggie, life does have a tendency to get in the way sometimes, doesn't it? I'm glad you finally got to writing!
Melissa, my daughter was thinking of being a vet until she started watching the vet show on Animal Planet... I don't think I could handle it either. And there's always time for the writing you have in mind. :)
Linda, what do you have in mind now? And hooray for you for having the courage to change!
Whalehugger, LOL on the naked man. That would do it. :)
Jan, knowing where to go to find things is a great talent to have!
Heather,
I don't know how to answer. I guess I still don't know. I've always wanted to be a whole bunch of things. First, I wanted to be a teacher when I was a kid. Then an interpreter for the deaf. When I volunteered in a nursing home after high school, I wanted to go into recreational therapy, which I still say I can do if they really wanted me and got someone to push the wheelchairs for me. Oh, yeah, and I fought tooth and nail to be a DJ, but rehab wouldn't pay for it. It's lovely how society limits you, isn't it? *sigh* I had a case worker that looked just like Peter Yarrow. Mom and I told him how he was acting and so he stayed around for one session once. Then he knew. The guy was stringing me along and being very encouraging until the day I had to sign the papers. Now all I want to do is to get into publicity because I know I could be good at it. But would I change anything? Nope. I'd still pick the same careers.
Tracy, good luck with the publicity! I think knowing what you want to do is half the battle.
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