Reflection

This school year went by really quickly and despite all the rumors of junior year being the hardest, I think it went smoothly. I've improved as a student and gotten better with time management and responsibilities. I have also become a better writer due to AP Lang and have begun to better analyze things and think outside of the box. This year has given me time to think about future career options and what I'm interested and uninterested in. I feel well prepared for senior year and hope to do as well as I have done this year.

?

I can't believe it's already April, time has really flown by this year and I'm still unsure of which career I want to pursue. I'm constantly asked what I want to do after high school by relatives and nothing comes to my mind. There are so many career possibilities but I always find a drawback to them and don't think about them again. Also, with college tuition being so expensive and the acceptance rates decreasing, thinking of a career that will still have a good field in the future is difficult. I don't want to end up doing something that I don't love. Hopefully, by the end of senior year, I'll know exactly what I want to do and where I want to go.

Psych

I've always been curious as to how the human mind works; psychology has always fascinated me because of the interesting nature of the field. Psychologists need a master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree in psychology. Practicing psychologists also need a license or certification. I realize that psychologists face many challenges down the road. Psychologists do very diverse rather than repetitious work. Each case is different and requires different treatments. I also like the fact that psychologists can work in a wide variety of places such as hospitals, health clinics, mental health facilities or psychiatric institutions. The median earnings for psychologists in 2008 were $64,140. The lowest 10 percent earned under $37,900, while the highest 10 percent earned over $106,840. While the pay isn't that much, this career is very rewarding. It would be a great feeling to know that I could help people with mental illnesses and make a difference in someone's life. I'm also really looking forward to taking psych next year and learning more about this career.

Oncology?

As I was doing my career project on becoming an oncologist, I learned many new things about the medical field. Oncologists have a very difficult job, dealing with cancer patients is already tough as it is, but if some of them don't make it, delivering the bad news would be so heartbreaking and hard. They are also on call 24/7 and work long hours. The schooling is very long as well, it could take up to 10+ years for me to actually become an oncologist and start my practice. I think I can do this job, personality wise. I have been told I am compassionate and understanding and if someone needs help, I'm usually there and give them my undivided attention. Being an oncologist is not just knowing all the medical information, it's also about being there for people and understanding what is the patient's state of mind and their family's as well. Its a lot of hand holding and doing everything you can to save a life. The compensation for oncologists is a bonus, most make over $400,000 per year after experience and start off with usually about $200,000 their first year. Despite the pay, this career takes a lot of effort and time. I would have never thought about becoming an oncologist before this project but now it seems like something I might want to pursue in the future.