I don’t have a lot of life experience, special education or anything else that qualifies me more than you to tell you: When you choose your career path, go for something you actually like.
I’m in the business school and there are two reasons I hear a lot from other students to study business which are: “My parents want me to study this,” or “I want to earn a lot of money.”
OK, for the sake of it let’s assume you will actually satisfy your parents with your career choices and earn a lot of money. The question is: Will it be worth it when you realize you have to work a job for 40 to 60 hours per week for roughly 45 years that you dislike?
Some of my friends that are already working are very unhappy with their jobs and don’t know what they want to do or how they can change their situation now. These friends all chose financial security over passion.
Maybe I sound naive or too optimistic when I say: I believe that if you like something, you are better at it and will likely be more successful. I’m sure you have heard this before and it’s not some kind of wisdom.
Many criticize the “Do what you love” mantra, saying that it’s only for people who can afford it, and I think that’s true to some extent. But I’m not saying do what you love. I’m saying do what you like.
I decided to share my thoughts on this with you because I’ve seen how unhappy the wrong career path for the wrong reasons can make people and I don’t want you to make the same mistake.
Alina Rosenkranz is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at rosenkra17@up.edu.
