When I grow up…
By Jaclyn Luscomb | Staff Writer
All of us on this campus once had a dream of what we wanted to be when we grew up. We all went through elementary school with our dream job in mind, and it seemed as if nothing could stop us from getting there. As children we dreamed of being an astronaut, a fireman, a famous singer, athlete or even a veterinarian. Granted, I wanted to be a mermaid, but most dreams were a little more attainable. As we grew older, we tuned into reality and thought more about things such as what our parents do for a living or what will bring in a good paycheck.
It didn’t take long for us to realize that everything is made possible with money, and that there was more to getting what we want than just asking for it. It became pretty common to hold a job in the summer mowing lawns or babysitting to make some extra money for gas.
I’ve been in college for roughly six months, and I have to say that I know a lot of people who are following their wallets instead of their hearts.
Is this a place where we study what we love and learn how to turn that passion into a career, or is this a place to learn how to make six figures?
It’s no secret that the economy is shaky. Parents are scared about the price they are going to have to pay for school and many students are trying not to think about how they are going to pay off the loans that are accumulating. Employers want people with math, science and engineering degrees and employees wants to make their bosses happy. According to an article in the Sacramento Bee newspaper, the 10 highest paying jobs offered today include chief executives, physicians, surgeons, flight engineers, dentists, lawyers, podiatrists, engineering managers, judges and computer system managers.
Where does a fireman, poet, dancer or kindergarten teacher fit in?
The troubling fact is-they don’t.
Many college students are struggling to decide what to major in. We wonder if it’s more important to do something you love or makes six figures.
The core question is why we came here at all or why we chose to come to college. Was it because a college degree is becoming about as necessary as a high school diploma in order to get a job? Is it because we were told over and over again by teachers and parents that this is the step that comes after high school or was it because it’s what everyone is doing?
If we are at an age to pick what we want to spend the rest of our lives doing, then we should be sensible enough to pick something that we love. This is the rest of our lives! If you retire at 65 and enter the workforce at 25 that’s 40 years of working eight hours a day, five days a week. Shouldn’t we do something that we have fun with?
It would be foolish to think that everybody who dreams about the Olympics can make the team, or that everybody who sings in the shower can get paid to be on stage. The fact is, I’ve never met a five year old who dreamed about sitting in a cubicle, staring at a blank screen (or Facebooking) or crunching numbers 40 hours a week. Nobody wants to be one of those guys from “Office Space.” There is a reason they beat up the fax machine in the movie.
According to an article in HR Magazine, “approximately half of all U.S. college students would be more likely to accept a job that offers higher pay, but less career satisfaction, in order to repay their student loans or make a better living.”
Spending 40 years working at a job that doesn’t satisfy you is really going to put a damper on your living situation. If you’re here, take the plunge and study something you love! It’s life, and you only get one. Why not do things the way you dreamed them?
There’s a good chance that if you are doing something you love, you will probably be pretty good at it. There’s a slightly better chance that if you are really good at something, you may get paid the big bucks for doing it anyway.
