Remember when we were first asked what we wanted to be when we grew up? I can. I was in Year 3. It wasn't a serious question, it was just a question in passing. I was 8. Whenever they would ask me, I would always say "I don't know." I would then be embarrassed because everyone else had something they aspired to be. I remember being shocked that we were being asked such a HUGE question when we were so young. At that age, you don't want to be making plans for university or looking at job specifications. You are meant to be a kid. A kid that is still learning, still growing, still thinking they're safe in their little Primary School bubble.
I was asked several hundreds of times from then on. "What do you plan on doing when you grow up?", "What GCSE's are you taking?", "Have you looked at any open days?". The list is endless. How are we expected to make such a huge life decision at such a young and fragile age?
In the UK, in Year 9 you are expected to pick 3 options for GCSE. You have a huge meeting to discuss it, many assemblies, lots of talks with teachers, etc. I found it very challenging. I found it hard because I wanted to enjoy the courses I was doing, but I also wanted them to try and benefit me in some way. If you don't know what you want your future career to be, then it's challenging trying to get them to cross over.
My plans for the future have changed dramatically over the past couple of years. I've gone from wanting to be a Police Officer, to wanting to be a teacher, a doctor to a Police Dog Handler, there are so many possibilities. In this day and age, we have even more things, as we have all now recognised blogging and YouTube to be a career. It's really made me think.
I can safely say at the age of 17, I still don't know what my future holds in store. I hope to be happy, because let's be honest, who wants a job that makes them sad or angry or bored? We shouldn't just settle for second best because that's what available, we should try to reach our best whether that's in what you've planned for years, or spontaneously.
I know that I won't ever be truly happy with a desk job. I'm not someone who can sit doing nothing for hours on end. I have to be out, doing something. I think this is the reason I love Falconry so much. I get the chance to go out and fly my birds, I get to show people them and inform them. With birds, nothing is normal. I hope one day I can look back at this blog post and say "Don't worry, I achieved it."
-
What did you want to be when you grew up? Is it what you are doing now?
We shouldn't expect our future generations to know what they want to do when they're still growing. Let's give them more encouragement, and start giving them more occupations to aspire to be.
Konnie
x
