Clearly, I am an adult.
My entire life I have been asked, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?" And that answer has varied. For a while, I'd say, "A doctor!" And then, "A lawyer!" And when I realized how much time and money both of those professions require, my answer became, "I'm not sure."
Once I was accepted to ASU, more and more people started asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up. And, I still had no idea. I majored in political science so everyone assumed I wanted to run for office -- definitely not the case.
Things really came to a head when I graduated with my degree and I started on the job hunt. People were asking what I wanted to do and I still had no idea. And now that I have my first "adult" job -- I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.
I don't think we have to know anymore or that our first career choice should determine what we do for our entire lives. The economy has been so terrible that everyone I know just kind of took the first opportunity that came knocking. And there's nothing wrong with that. A paycheck is necessary.
But, people still feel the need to ask what I want to be when I grow up. And now, my answer is "Happy." All I want is to be happy. I want a roof over my head, food in my belly, and to be with my friends and family. As for career, who the hell knows?
Does anyone really know what they want to be? And for those of you that do -- that's awesome! I used to be incredibly jealous of your decisiveness. But now, I've realized that not knowing exactly what I want can lead to some incredible opportunities. If I had stuck on any of my original plans, I would not be where I am today or the person that I am today. And I love where I'm at in my life -- even if it wasn't exactly where I thought I'd be.
Growing up is hard. And no matter how old you are -- you're still growing up and figuring things out. I just don't think we have to know what we want to be when we grow up until we get there and realize, "Oh, this is it."
Labels: being adult
