Figuring Out My Future

     Nowadays, teachers and guidance counselors start asking kids what they want to do for the rest of their lives in middle school. For 11 year old me, the idea that I had to have my future mapped out was anxiety inducing. 

     Now that college application season is almost upon us, the time has come for me to make that decision.

     I'm not sure about you, but my problem is that one area of study has never stuck out to me: I'm decent at math and science, pretty terrible at art, mediocre at music, but I've always excelled in my History, English, and Latin classes. Even so, I can't see myself majoring in any of those. I want to study something versatile so that I can get a job ASAP. 

(Isn't it funny how students these days are willing to trade doing what they want for practicality?)

      With those ruled out, my family scrambled to land on an area of study to tell tour guides on our upcoming college visits. We played around with medicine (except I can't cut people open or stick needles in them which rules out surgery and anesthesia), toyed with business (still in the running), and then I brought up journalism.

      This past year, I needed an extra class and I chose journalism on a whim. It was daunting to start writing for our school newspaper with no knowledge of how to write an article or gather the necessary information from interviews, but thanks to the most dedicated and energetic teacher ever, I co-wrote two front page articles as a newbie and am hoping to be appointed the deputy editor for the news section during this upcoming year. 

     Journalism just clicked for me: I really enjoy writing and editing, and, to be honest, finding out what's going on around the school. After writing formal essay after formal essay, the alternate style used in journalistic writing is a welcome break. 

     I can't help but imagine myself working for some magazine somewhere, or a newspaper, interviewing people about their experiences...it's so weird because I've realized my dream. I look back on my life and realize I do things like blog because I love it. In middle school I was a part of three magazines that were started by a group of my friends, and all of them failed. Yet after each dramatic downfall, I picked up the pieces and started a new one. Then I started a blog. The blog I've grown and evolved into something I continue to be proud of and love to write for. I have to give credit where it's due: the love I have for blogging is a major part of what pushed me towards journalism. That, and the coolest journalism class ever.

     My hopes for the next few years are to gain experience in the field: I want to intern somewhere and write stories and be immersed in experiences rather than just learning from a textbook. I will absolutely continue with my blogging, despite how busy I'll inevitably get, but when you love something, you make time for it. For a lot of people, figuring out what they want to do doesn't come to them until they're into their second year of college, and I thought that's what it would be like for me. If you don't have your future figured out yet, don't worry! You've got time.

xoxo
Hannah