The Mycenaean

When in kindergarten, someone most likely asked you, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” For many of us it was fun and imaginative: firefighters, doctors, singers, or dancers. However, as we got older, many of those opinions changed with time, experiences, and self discovery.

Savannah Hartong, junior, said, “When I was little, I wanted to be a cop, because I wanted to save lives. Now I want to do something with animals.”

As people grow older, new experiences open up creating room for interests. We grew up with hobbies, classes, and influences which helped to shape what we are looking for in a job. A major influence could be parents because kids tend to want to be like their parents if the relationship is strong and supportive.

Andrea Schuh, sophomore, said, “I want to go to NC State college because it’s where my mom went.”

What one does as a job can be a big deal, because you don’t want to spend your whole life doing something that makes you unhappy. Finding jobs that are truly inspiring and thrilling can make a big impact on people’s lives.

Many people go into jobs with one outcome: money. However, if it’s the highest paying job, but you are uninterested in it, you will ultimately be unhappy no matter how rich you are. You should want to make decent money, while also waking up feeling excited to go to work.

Most of the time, students don’t know what they want to do as a job, but have a vague idea or general direction. This idea can help lead them in the right direction, by allowing them to take classes earlier in their schooling to get ahead on the requirements for the job.

Noah Rosato, junior, said, “I want to go to NC State or APP [Appalachian State University] because they have good engineering programs. I’m not sure what I want to be when I’m older, but definitely something in that field.”

Some students feel stressed because many don’t know if there’s enough time to prepare for what they may or may not want to do in just a few years. Some career paths offer highschool classes, like CTE, which are career path classes, so students can get a head start on their careers. It truly depends on how much preparation the job requires.

Brody Paden, sophomore, said, “I think it could really fluctuate on what you want to do, but I don’t think there’s any age necessarily that you have to focus on what you want to do.”

Many other students opt for Wake Tech classes, which are college classes you can take in highschool. These classes give you college credit and help students advance academically. For those who don’t know what they want to do for a job, Wake Tech classes provide flexible ways for students to branch out and find what they are interested in.

Some students go to college for sports. Finley Lewis, sophomore, said, “I’m going to college for basketball. I’m on varsity now so hopefully I get to commit to a college soon.”

Colleges give out scholarships to athletes they want on their team. These athletes must play their said sport for their full college experience in order to keep the scholarship. College scouts might come to some of the games at high school to see if there are athletes who meet the skill level they are looking for.

There are many volunteer opportunities for students to get the opportunity to explore different career paths. These experiences might be shadowing a doctor or helping out at an animal shelter. These hands-on experiences can confirm a student’s interests or expose them to a new career path. Trying these things and experiences early, can help build confidence and knowledge about future goals.

Ultimately, whether a student knows exactly what they want to do, has some sort of an idea, or knows nothing at all, the journey matters just as much as the discovery. It’s about remaining curious, and being open to experiencing new things as you grow.