Student Guest Blogger: Career and Future Uncertainty
I’ve shared this blog with some of my students, an attempt to showcase how writing is “real” for me. As far as blogging goes, many students use Tumblr. I’ll admit I’ve never explored Tumblr, but they describe it as a platform to share images and thoughts. Sounds like a blog to me. How sustained those thoughts are…I’m not sure. Unfortunately, it’s fairly rare to find kids who use technology to compose what I consider to be more meaningful writing such as essays, commentary, and reviews.
So, here goes. I collaborated with one of my digital storytelling students, a junior, via Google Docs, and this is what she had to say about dealing with her own and others’ expectations for her future and career prospects. She’ll be the first one to check the comments section, so please give her some feedback!
Paul Barnwell 
I ended up in a career that I don’t even think I knew about when I was in high school, and I really enjoy it. You might be surprised what paths you end up taking. If I trace back to where I started from where I am now, it began with a job I took to support myself while I was developing what I thought I wanted to do.
I also realized after a while that I was in a highly competitive field – and, quite honestly, based on my progress (or lack thereof), I could tell that I wasn’t going to have much of a career in that field. So being realistic about what you’re capable of, and focusing on what you can do well, is important as well. It’s fine to chase your dreams and all that, but at some point you have to take a good look at the realities as well.
And being able to write well – and enjoying doing it! – is a skill that you can use in many, many occupations, even if your job title isn’t “writer”.
Staying focused on the basics seems easy but its easily complicated. Hoping the rest falls into place is all I can do right now.. And thank you so much for reading this blog post. I’m really glad that you could relate to what I wrote. I hope things work out for the both of us..
Thanks so much for reading. And I’ll try harder to listen more to myself.
Personally, I don’t know where I would flourish best. Percentage wise I fall in to the undecided. Being a writer would make me happy, but is it realistic in today’s economy? I’m interested in medical science but what about tuition and money wise there is no way I can afford college.. ??
At this point, I’m not sure where I’ll go from here.
Take as many aptitude tests as possible. Get a very good sense of your strengths and weaknesses and learning styles, then try to find work (not jobs, work, paid income) that allows your strengths to flourish. I think far too many people focus on A Job or a Fancy Job instead of where they will really fit in best and do their best work. One third of Americans, like I do, now are self-employed (or permanently temps, contracts workers or part-time.)
How wonderful that you are making self inquiry! Pay attention every year to what excites you and you will be able to tweak your goals toward a career. Trust and listen to yourself.
Great post! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂 At 23 and a year out of college, I’m dealing with so many of the same questions, uncertainties, and attempts to just go with the flow. There’s such a fine balance between pursuing your dreams (without knowing if they are REALLY your dreams) and taking life as it comes. It’s been a struggle for me at times, but the best remedy I’ve found is to do what makes you feel good (truly)–I feel best when I eat right and exercise, maintain relationships that being joy into my life, and spend my free time doing what makes me come alive. When that important stuff is taken care of, it’s less bothersome that you’re underemployed, single, and don’t have a clue what you want from life. I’m young and still figuring it all out, but I would say focus on the basics and the rest will fall into place around it.