I didn’t always know what I wanted to do. When I first came to college, I felt overwhelmed. Everyone around me seemed so sure – business, nursing, education, ag. I kept thinking I needed to pick something that sounded impressive or made sense to other people. For a while, I thought I would become a teacher. I’ve always loved helping people learn new things and become better versions of themselves. Then I thought about nursing because I wanted to work in healthcare and help support others when they need it most. But nothing felt completely right.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that my answer had been part of my story all along. My grandfather came to this country with my family not knowing any English. They only spoke Dutch. Language is not just words. It is belonging. It is confidence. As a first-generation college student, I’ve always carried my family with me in everything I do. There’s this quiet pressure to succeed but also a deep pride. My family sacrificed so much to come here. They had to learn a new language, adapt to a totally different culture, and build a life all from scratch. Watching them struggle to communicate, but still push forward, shaped me more than I ever anticipated. Language was never something I took for granted. I saw how not knowing English made my family feel small at times, like they weren’t fully seen or heard. When I chose Speech-Language Pathology, it felt bigger than just choosing a career. It felt like honoring my family’s story. In a way, I feel like I’m continuing what they started. They fought to find their voice in a new country. Now I get to help other people find theirs.
I remember looking on the internet on what are jobs similar to teaching but not becoming a teacher. I then came across a website that listed PT, OT, and SLP thinking what are these abbreviations and what are the differences. After much research I realized they are all very different careers but are all in the same field of teaching and helping others grow. At first, I had to explain it to everyone. People thought a speech-language pathologist was public speaking or just teaching kids how to pronounce words. But it’s so much more than that.
Speech-Language Pathology feels like the perfect mix of everything I cared about. There’s a teaching aspect helping children learn sounds and communication skills that connects to the teacher I once wanted to be. You’re guiding and celebrating small wins. There’s also a clinical side to it: working in hospitals, helping patients who have had strokes or traumatic brain injuries relearn how to speak or swallow safely, that connects to the nursing path I once considered. You’re part of a medical team. You’re helping people heal in ways that truly change their quality of life.
SLP is such a vast career. You can work in schools, hospitals, private clinics, rehabilitation centers, or even specialize in areas like autism, voice disorders, or brain injuries. It’s not one narrow path. It’s full of opportunity. You can grow, shift, and find the population that speaks to your heart. But what really made me fall in love with it is the human connection. You’re not just studying science. You’re sitting across from someone who feels frustrated, embarrassed, or unheard. You are there to help them find their voice again. That’s powerful. This major also taught me something about myself. It taught me patience. It taught me empathy. It taught me how to become the best version of myself and how to give to others who may be drained.
To anyone who feels lost it’s okay. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t have to follow what everyone else is doing. Sometimes the majors you never hear about are the ones that change you the most. Choosing this major doesn’t just feel like a career decision. It feels personal. It feels like honoring where I come from while building something new for myself. It is a calling that I am so happy I found.