Have you ever had that one random day in your life where someone asks you what you want to be when you grow up? And you just answer them with the first thing that pops up into your head,…Well, I have many times.

As a freshman at the NYC iSchool, a lot of people, especially family members, ask me questions that involve my future, like what’s your future goals, what colleges are you thinking of going to or applying to, what are you going to do for college, etc.. But the one question that I get asked the most often is: What career are you going to pursue in the future?

Many high school and college students avoid decisions that relate to their future career paths, with research indicating that the perception of needing a concrete plan by the end of high school significantly decreases by the sophomore year of college. Even adults with established careers may feel wistful about alternative paths they didn’t pursue. For additional perspectives on career uncertainty, consult the important articles and studies.

“Survey results from 2,000 high-school and college-aged teens, and young adults across the country show that a significant portion of students continue to delay decisions on their career choice well into their sophomore year of college.”

“The research shows how students’ perceptions of  career paths change over time.”

“For instance, 44 percent of high school juniors believe a person should have a concrete career path in mind before they finish high school, yet only 16 percent of college sophomores agree.”

Many students in the NYC iSchool can agree that it is nerve-racking and intense when we teenagers, get asked these questions. Especially one of my classmates and a friend of mine, Emma Nip. She agrees with this topic and my argument. She explains her options of not having a career path and how much it can be on us all at one point in our lives, and how difficult it can be not knowing what the future holds for ourselves.

Freshman Emma Nip said, “It’s definitely difficult because it’s your future and you’re unsure about what you want to do. For example, parents are gonna ask their kids what they want to do for their future job- it’s probably going to be awkward for them because they won’t know what to say. Even if they do have a goal, finding a job that matches those goals and interests can be very difficult to find and/ or achieve.”

“I’ve often wondered what would have happened if I had pursued my PHD in biochemistry or genetics. I had a natural affinity towards scientific endeavors and did exceptionally well in these areas… if I had become a genetic engineer, I would have been at the forefront of scientific development and potentially changed all of humanity.”

“Whether their career choices were driven by a desire for financial stability, a search for fulfillment, or other motivations, almost all of the workers in our study demonstrated at last some wistfulness almost all of the workers in our study demonstrated at least some wistfulness about what might have been had they taken an alternate path”.

This proves that even when your future is set and stone, you can still have trouble with your future career. The way she worded and supported her option shows the perspective of a teenager and how tough it really is.

Most adults can understand this issue because they have already experienced the pressure of high school intensity, or they have had the same issue, or they are still dealing with future career pressure.

My mother’s perspective is of someone who is a full-fledged adult, and the opposite of people with no clear idea of their career path: “Yes, once I started high school, I had a career laid out for myself, which was being a social worker. I started noticing how much I loved helping people, especially kids, since I was the oldest sibling in my family. I always babysat and helped raise them.”

Many people believe that not knowing your future goals or not having a career laid out is a bad thing, but there are just as many people who think it’s not a bad thing as well, and I am one of those people.

It’s ok to not know what you want your career to be in the future. It’s not bad, it’s a totally normal thing, and no one could say otherwise because they don’t know exactly how tough it can be unless they’re in your shoes, but that’s not possible.

Emma said, “Obviously, no, I think everyone at some point in their life did not have a clear vision of their future- that’s not a bad thing, that’s a normal human experience that everyone goes through. Like I’m not going to judge someone for not knowing their future path, it can discourage them.”

This response gives me a lot of closure and an example of a classmate’s perspective on this topic.

I know how tough it is to be a teenager who isn’t sure about their future, but I  never let that stop me from continuing to try, and you all shouldn’t either. I know I’m just a freshman who is fresh out of middle school, but I can still understand the intensity of high school.

I understand how mentally tough it can be for people dealing with this issue. Many things can help, for example, advice from others who have gone through similar situations or people who have been through high school already.

Emma also said, “Yeah, some advice I’d definitely give them is to have a mood board on future jobs, it can also include their interest – if they are very stressed about their futures, I’d try to romanticize it a little bit, not too much though, because not everything is a fairytale. Although for me, romanticizing some things helps make a better positive vision.”

My mother’s response was that “Eventually, you will find something easy for you to do or something you like to do. From my experience, I changed my career four times until I eventually found something that suits me best.”

These two tips are really good for students or just people in general who need a little guidance with their career paths. They show that it’s ok to not rush through your future and to not make choices you’ll regret later.

Don’t be afraid to listen to your gut if you believe something is right, then go with it. Don’t let anyone tell you what’s right or wrong.

Someone once told me that it’s ok to be unsure of things, that’s what life is all about, it’s not the end of the world if you can’t figure a few things out right away that’s the point, you’re not supposed to know everything, that’s how we’re supposed to live or we can’t call ourselves human.

Well, do you know what you want to be when you get older? It’s fine if you don’t, just like they say, “keep moving forward even when your path is not clear,” and I’m sure you’ll be fine because whatever path you choose, I’m sure it will be just right, so you seniors or college students out there don’t worry, it’s going to be ok.