Sorry 10-year old me, hiking in the rainforest has lost some of its appeaL
I always thought that I would be saving lives as a doctor or traveling and teaching kids while exploring remote parts of the world. I had quite tall dreams, as most kids do. Now, especially now that I’ve been in the workforce, my opinions about a future career have changed dramatically. I still want to help people and make positive change, however more mundane jobs have a much greater appeal. I don’t necessarily want to file taxes or take customer service calls, but the idea of having one or two workplaces and knowing what to expect everyday is something I definitely identify with.
1. A consistent schedule with no random events
I understand that things come up, but the number of pop quizzes or random projects that I’ve been assigned at the very last minute is enough to make me scream. I was always the student that asked the teacher to post the schedule for the week so I knew what was coming up and could mentally prepare. Not that I worked ahead, I just like knowing what to expect each day. I religiously fill out my whiteboard calendar and google calendar, just to be sure that I know when things are as soon as I plan them. Some might call it obsessive but I like to be prepared. I would look for the same nine-to-five consistency in a job, especially after working the black Friday hours at Old Navy for two years.
2. Separation of home and work
Now this point comes from the daughter, niece, and granddaughter of many teachers. The work they put in outside of class is something I will never envy. Office jobs are portrayed as things that start and end in the office, with little to no carryover work to do outside of the office. I’m going on 13 grades of homework and out-of-class material. I especially don’t ever want to deal with having to grade 70 calculus tests in one night, while also making dinner for two kids and taking care of a seven-month-old puppy. My mom is a crazy capable woman but I don’t think I could always say the same about myself. I definitely look for a cutoff when I leave the office and not needing to worry about keeping up with deadlines when I’m making dinner.
3. Being part of the office team
With so many jobs staying remote, I definitely have considered the pros and cons of working completely from home. I just think that I need social interaction, even if I find everyone annoying and complain about them when I get home, I think I need that drama in my life. Especially after binging The Office over quarantine my expectations for workplace entertainment are quite high. I also feel like it would be like a high school class in a way; low expectations, everyone has to be friendly because you’re stuck with each other but you also make little friend groups and talk about how embarrassing someone’s outfit is. I also know, from more quarantine experience, that I am A LOT more productive when I’m in a workspace and not distracted by my overflowing laundry hamper or bookshelf that needs redecorating.
I’m still an undecided major and have to keep convincing myself that I have time to decide what I’m going to do with my life. I feel like I can’t pick a major without knowing what possible careers I could use my degree for. More often than I had thought, I find myself scrolling through job postings for office jobs, though. I used to want to be a marine biologist or tropical researcher and explore the wild for the rest of my life. Now as I’m more mature, I’m looking forward to having more structure and security in my career. But who knows, maybe by the time I graduate I’ll want to go photograph lions in the Serengeti or rescue baby birds from oil spills in California. But then again, does anyone really know what they want to do with their life at 18?