Passions

Hello, Class of 2025, our time together is soon coming to an end. Even though we are continuing to move forward with our lives, I would like to take a moment and look back. When we were all younger, teachers would ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some kids knew what they wanted to do, while others did not. There would be kids who wanted to be astronauts, doctors, or maybe even a firetruck. Thinking back on it, this was a big question to ask our little kindergarten brains. We didn’t understand the importance of a future career. I most certainly did not, because when I was younger, I wanted to be a princess. More specifically a Disney princess, who walked around in Disney world all day, creative I know. Younger me was very determined to make this happen. I thought if I wore a dress every day, I would get recruited. Even though I was only six years old, that didn’t stop me. I had to have every princess dress, shoes, and crown so I could practice. My mom bought me the cheap princess costumes thinking I was just being a kid and it was a phase, but I was dead serious. This was going to be my career. I really thought I was sure and had everything figured out. However, as the cheap fabric started to wear, I lost interest. Turns out my mom was right, and it was just a phase. Though I would never admit that to her. 

My whole life I’ve struggled to find a career that’s right for me. There have been times I was sure, but ended up changing my mind. Going into high school, I felt unprepared. There were kids who already knew what they wanted to do with their lives. I envied those students who seemed to have everything figured out, compared to me who only knew what my passions were. Passions that I have been told on several occasions that would be unrealistic to make a future career out of. I have always loved graphic design and anything to do with art, whether it was the visual, performing, or the music arts. Though I had always been told that I should probably find something else, or have a backup plan that would actually make some money. 

It was hard trying to find a career knowing I probably wouldn’t be passionate about it. I searched, and searched but came up empty. What career was out there that was meant for me? One day I was so frustrated with my membean, I decided to take a break and join my parents in the living room. When I did I saw they were watching a movie, so I joined them. The second I started watching I was hooked. This movie was “Twister”, a 1996 film about tornados. Something about trying to predict tornado patterns was super interesting to me. So I figured, fine I can work with this. This is how the plan to be a meteorologist was born. I watched the weather religiously, and watched any movie with natural disasters. Only to come to the inevitable realization, meteorology is very mathematical and like most of us, I hate math. However, I kept telling people I wanted to be a meteorologist because I wanted it to seem like I had a plan that would actually make me money. Instead of being a graphic designer, like I had wanted. 

 Overtime, I felt like I lost myself, preparing for a career I didn’t really have interest in. As senior year rolled around, I was struggling with the career I wanted to do, and the career I probably  should do. It was hard to decide between passion and success. When signing up for Central Maine Community College, I saw graphic communications as an option for a major. I stared at it for longer than I should have, pondering what to do. Finally, I made the decision to click it, selecting graphic communications as my major. This made me feel excited and extremely guilty. So, when going home, I was extremely nervous to tell my mom what I had selected as my major for CMCC. Instead of her being disappointed she was super excited and proud of me for pursuing my dreams. She told me that if she had the chance to do her life over again and pursue her dreams she would, and that graphic design was definitely my calling, my career. 

Fellow classmates, as you move on with your lives, I encourage you all to follow your passions and do what you want to do, not what others tell you should do. If there is something you want to achieve like selling jewelry on the side or becoming an artist, don’t let others tell you it is a waste of time or unrealistic. Anything is possible, even being a disney princess, which I now know is an actual career. Just remember to stay passionate, work hard, and achieve your dreams, as I will be doing the same. Do not let others mold you into their idea of success, it is not their clay, just like it isn’t their life. 

Featured image: “Walt Disney World Castle” by Aaron D. Feen is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Additional: “Tornado in Paraná Miní” by Florencia Guedes is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.