“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.” – Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
As we are all out here working hard in college and actively chasing our dream jobs, it can be a bit disheartening to fantasize about all of the other options that lay before us. But then again, it can also be fun. While it’s easy to become overwhelmed with anxiety about “did I make the right choice” or “is this major right for me”, it should be reassuring to know that the branch in which you walk is uniquely yours and meant for you. In other words, the “fig” or life in which you are working towards will all work out in the end.
That being said, while we climb towards the fig there’s nothing wrong with exploring the rest of the tree! Admit it, we all have those certain careers (or rather those career’s aesthetics) we are sure we’d absolutely eat up. Here is a list of career paths ALL of us have considered at one point or another.
In other words, here is every girl’s fig tree.
5. Book/Coffee/Smoothie Shop Owner
Don’t lie to me. We’ve all had a dream of owning at least one of these small businesses. Whether you fantasize about a tropical smoothie shop on the beach, a cozy bookstore somewhere moody and quaint, or a coffee joint in the city, there is no WAY I am the only one who has daydreamed about how I would decorate the inside of my shop. Right? RIGHT?!
4. Lawyer
This dream has had me in a chokehold for a few years now. The desire to be the new real life Legally Blonde is strong. While I am genuinely interested in going to law school and practicing law, part of me can’t help but crave the sense of empowerment that will come from becoming a certified attorney.
3. Detective/Criminal Investigator
I blame this one entirely on shows like Criminal Minds and NCIS. I can tell you right now that I would make a terrible cop/detective. But did that stop me from wanting to study Criminal Justice and go into the field? Of course not. While I always knew it was an impractical dream, I couldn’t help but be tempted by the highly unrealistic depictions of Criminal Investigation shown in the media.
2. Marine Biologist
Another one that makes absolutely no sense for me. I am scared of deep water and sharks with little to no interest in any STEM fields. And yet those instagram pictures of marine biologists swimming with dolphins and working on a boat in tropical waters got me. Again, I knew these were unrealistic portrayals of the job. But hey, who wouldn’t wanna work on a Catamaran in the middle of the Atlantic?
1. Influencer
And finally, we’ve all thought at one time or another what it would be like to be one of those crazy rich influencers. You know, the ones living in a high-rise penthouse who spend their days doing yoga, opening packages, and drinking iced coffee or matcha? And while I am almost positive I would despise this career path in reality, there’s always a chance….