A Path Unfolded by Erianna

A Path Unfolded by Erianna - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

The question of what you want to become when you get older is important because it shapes your entire life. When I was six years old I was determined that I was going to be a veterinarian. I was extremely fond of animals and I had a strong desire to help them. Therefore, I decided with no doubt in mind that I was going to help animals for the rest of my life. I even used to pretend to be a veterinarian by acting like I was the doctor for my pet that I had at the time which was a cat. I remember even getting a play stethoscope to check her heart beat. Unfortunately, my dreams of becoming a vet slowly started to diminish as I got older.
Through my progression from elementary school to middle school, the question of what career path I would take constantly came up. Throughout middle school I still had a strong desire to become a vet. In addition, in middle school we had to take career classes and eventually chose a career path. I learned about the income of vets and my love for becoming a veterinarian was still strong. In school, we are taught that should get a job that has a good income so that you will have enough money to support yourself in the future. In addition to income, I was curious about what the job including doing. As I grew older and became more adept at reading, I began to read more books about veterinarians and animals because that was my passion. However, the more and more I learned about their actual job description I began to doubt becoming one. For example, they must administer shots and under some cases perform surgery on animals. Just the thought of doing that is what really changed my mind about being a veterinarian and this change in my perception occurred around the time of eighth grade. Also, I am very sensitive to blood, needles, and other medical equipment so I was not in the right mindset to help these animals the way a veterinarian should.
Then as I transitioned into high school, I went through a point in time in which I was unsure what career path to choose. It was amazing that at the age of six I had a set mindset of what I wanted to become, however, at the age of fourteen I had no idea. In addition, in high school the emphasis of what you were going to do with your future became extremely strong. I wanted to do something that I loved. Then in ninth grade I knew that I wanted to become a fashion designer.
I had a profound love of art and creating which was like my love for animals. I was determined that I was going to pursue a career in the visual arts. Then, as I began to learn about the income of artist and designers compared to other profession, I began to doubt myself. All of my friends around me wanted to become pediatricians, attorneys, criminal investigators, and business owners. However, I had a passion for designing and creating things. Although, many people doubted my choice of becoming a fashion designer in particular, a costume designer, I learned that it did not matter what they thought because I was doing something I loved.
Nonetheless, I still had to be realistic. Senior year of high school is when I really learned the importance of finance and the economy. Prior, to that I did not really know the elements that really went into being able to take care of myself. Therefore, as I learned about mortgage, car insurance, health care, and other living expenses I really began to ponder over what my future entailed. Eventually, I decided that I also have a passion for business and finance therefore, I was going to pursue those careers along with costume designing in order to sustain myself. Throughout my life, I have learned that it is important to have more than one source of income. I have ultimately chosen these careers based on my life experiences. My passion for creating and helping bring a writer’s story to life is why I would like to become a costume designer. Also, my experiences with homelessness is a main reason why I would like to get into real estate. Furthermore, the importance of having multiple incomes had a major impact on my decision to get into business as a whole because I not only wanted to create a business but also provide employment for other people.
At the age of six I was confident that I was going to become a veterinarian. However, as I began to learn more about not only the job description, but also finance and the cost of living, my mind changed. My education and life experiences has taught me to not only pursue a career that you love but also pursue a lifestyle where you will be able to support yourself. I decided to become not only a costume designer but also, a business owner and real estate agent because I wanted to do something that I love while at the same time help others. They teach us that we can only be one thing, however that is not true. The possibilities are endless if you believe in yourself and set your mind to it.