When I started my college career, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my future. I took parents and family members’ advice and majored in accounting.
Throughout three semesters, I grew as an individual and found my niche, but that niche wasn’t accounting. I grew to hate all of my business classes and would dread waking up in the morning. The only reason I stuck with it for so long was the thought of being financially stable. I created a utopia in my mind where I would major in accounting, go on to law school and then be rich for the rest of my life.
But what happens when you can’t picture yourself ever enjoying a job in your chosen field of study? What happens when you can’t even picture yourself passing any of your classes the next semester? If you find yourself in this situation like I did, the best bet is to find your passion and change your major.
A lot of students major in fields that they don’t like or care about because their parents influence them or because they’re blinded by dollar signs.
But who said that success has to equal monetary or material gains?
Success shouldn’t be measured by the amount of money you make or how many expensive, nonsensical items you can waste your money on. Success should be measured by what you can accomplish, how you achieve your personal dreams and goals and how you positively contribute to society.
What’s living lavishly if you’re miserable? I’d rather make a modest living and positively impact my community by working a job that I love than have to drag myself through college, majoring in something I hate, to work a job that makes me miserable. There’s so much more to life.
Society’s definition of success deters people from following their heart when it comes to career choices, and it has a great way of implanting the idea that only certain professions are capable of providing you with a nice future. But I say middle fingers up to society.
It’s time for people to wake up and rewire their brains. We have to learn how to think for ourselves and not let society think for us. No one knows you better than you know yourself. Even though it sounds cliché, you can really do anything you set your mind to.
I believe your work ethic has a lot more to do with your success than a career choice. If you put in the hours and the hard work, then you’ll see results. You have to organize your thoughts, put your ideas on paper and find the best way to bring them to life.
Of course, nothing in life is free and when you get into the real world you realize the importance of money. But don’t get caught up in the money-hungry lifestyle because the love of money is the root of evil. Instead, just enjoy life.
We have only have one life, so do what truly makes you happy. Make your own definition of success and follow your own life guidelines. Don’t let people tell you you’re doing something wrong because the only thing that matters is what you think and how you feel.
Taylor Simien is a 20-year old mass communication junior from Lafayette, Louisiana.