So You Think You Want to be a Lawyer?

Starting from an early age, I've always been interested in crime investigation shows. I've been watching television programs such as CSI, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, Law & Order, and Numb3rs for as long as I can remember. Becoming a detective and working for the police would be a very tiring and stressful job, not to mention dangerous. However, it is a very rewarding job and you can help people get justice and put away criminals for good. It'd be a nice feeling knowing that I've helped make streets a bit safer for citizens.
Another job in this field I might want to pursue is becoming a lawyer. I want to help others, serve as a resource, and I enjoy politics and the relevance of law. I think that by having a law degree, I can make a difference in the society because the only way to change something is by law. Despite this, there are many drawbacks to this career choice. I want to go to a law school like Harvard but I doubt I'd get in because there are thousands of students who would be more qualified than me. Law school is very long and time consuming; it can take up to 8 years for me to get my degree. It is very expensive and I'd probably be in debt because of student loans. I am afraid that this job is not creative and very boring. I'm not sure whether I will end up doing this later on in life but I'm just trying to keep my options open.

America’s Next Top Writer?

Starting from a young age, I've always loved writing and have dreamt of becoming an author for young adults and maybe children. I used to go to the library and read at least 2 to 3 books a week. Some of my favorite authors who I have come to love are John Greene, Sarah Dessen, Jodi Picoult, Kate Brian, Robert Frost, Shel Silverstein, and Rick Riordan. I love getting into a book so much that I can't put it down and the feeling you get when you read a good book and don't want it to end. I love the imagery, the diction, and imagining the plot in my mind. I want others to feel the same way when they read something of mine. I want readers to be able to relate to what I have written and know who I am. However, things have now changed along with my interests, but I still want to write (part time maybe?). I like how there's no right or wrong in writing and that I can express my feelings. Although some drawbacks to this career path are that I don't handle criticism well and I feel awkward having other people read my work because I write for myself, if that makes any sense. But I have come to realize that with any occupation I choose to pursue, I will have to overcome obstacles, so I will have to get over these factors eventually.

Time is Flying By.

Registering for Naviance and taking the personality and career quizzes really put things into perspective for me. Logging in to Naviance made me anxious and scared that I need to start getting serious about my future. I can't put it off for any longer. Time is flying by and I can't believe that I only have less than 2 years until I attend college. It's so weird to think how fast I'm growing up and I just want time to freeze for a while. I'm not extremely talented at any one particular subject. I want to do multiple things that I truly enjoy and still be able to support myself and my future family. A few subjects that I might be exploring are social services, occupations in media, and anything in the medical field. I enjoy helping others and it is something I want to do everyday for the rest of my life. One of the jobs that really stood out to me after I finished the career quiz is speech therapy, which is the treatment of speech defects and disorders, especially through use of exercises and audio-visual aids that develop new speech habits. It seems like something I might be interested in looking into and it also pays well which is a bonus.

Plans for the future? Still undecided.

Growing up, I have always been asked "What do you want to do when you grow up?" and I used to shrug it off and say that I wasn't sure. I told myself that I still had plenty of time to think about what I want to do in life. From becoming a teacher to a food critic, I changed my mind numerous times. Now that high school is halfway over and I'm finally a junior, time is flying by rapidly and I still do not know what I want to do in college. There are some people who have known what they wanted to do since elementary school but there are a ton like me who switch their minds about their futures on a daily basis. Being unsure about the future scares me, but I am also looking forward to getting out of high school and experiencing new things while meeting new people who share the same interests as me.
My cousin introduced me to occupational therapy which is helping to treat patients with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. She has been an occupational therapist for several years and genuinely enjoys her job. It definitely sounds like something I might enjoy doing as well. I need to do more research on this major to have a better understanding of what qualifications I need but being an occupational therapist does interest me and who knows, maybe 5 years from now, I can be doing something that I love such as occupational therapy.