This one sentence in itself gives me anxiety. It’s the question you get at every interview, during an awkward silence in a conversation, and family dinner. As if people expect you to have it all together. Well, I can tell you that I personally have no idea. Heck, I started in forensic science and I’m now in digital enterprise management. I am the definition of lost in life.
So what does it mean to know what you want, to search for a dream job? Is it about finding your “passion”, that deep-rooted desire that everyone supposedly has? Or is it about doing something just for the money? How does one decide what they, in fact, want to do with their life?
For me it seems to be trial and error. I thought I wanted to be a homicide detective but after enrolling in the program, I learned that I was more interested in hearing about the events from the sidelines than actually being there to witness them. I take internships, volunteer opportunities, and anything else I can get my hands on. Yes, it sucks being a student and not always getting paid for the work that you do, but it provides invaluable experience and networks. It gives you a chance to dip your toes in the water and test new things out.
I know that I have yet to find my “passion” and I also know that I want a career that affords me the life that my parents were able to give me. I just don’t know what that looks like yet, and that’s okay.
It’s okay to be unsure. It’s okay to be lost. And it’s okay to be afraid in a world where the possibilities are endless. This is what makes the whole growing-up thing exciting. We are not limited to what we do. We can change our minds. What we want now may not be what we want in five years. That’s just part of growing up and we’re all in it together. We are all a little lost, a little confused, and a little frustrated. University is the time for exploration, for finding the answer to that anxiety-provoking question: what do I want to do with my life?
