Purpose

High school is a time of uncertainty; often students have a limited idea of what to pursue in college. We as students chase “resume-builders,” activities that we think will boost our chances of getting into top-tier universities, worry about one standardized test then another, and spend very little time finding what exactly we want to do after getting into these universities.  

This often leads to students “burning-out” or deciding to change their majors halfway into the college journey. In fact, according to the NCES, the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 30% of undergraduates had changed their majors at least once in the first three years of collegiate study (Source).

When students try to seek help from parents, adults, mentors, they are met with cliché, cringey slogans like “follow your passion” or “be well-rounded.” But many of us either misunderstand this or have a hard time finding that passion. So, high school students make hasty decisions about their colleges and their majors without having all the facts. Some decide to stick with that path, but others end up changing their minds and choosing something else. Choosing one major or one path often includes saying no to the other options available to you.

When I was trying to figure out what to study, I really didn’t know what to pick since there is such a wide array of professions to choose from. Everyone I asked also told me to find my “true calling;” how helpful! I love playing videogames. I love reading books. But those can’t be pursued as careers (for the vast majority). I asked my friends what they wanted to become. Most of the answers were the same: “I’ll figure it out later.” If you’re in high school, the time is now, not later.

One common path for students is pursuing what someone else in the family has done. Others chase after jobs that pay well. But surely money isn’t all there is, right?

While plenty of materials are available on the internet, most career sites that exist today are from the perspective of a college graduate or someone with years of work experience, but why can’t we explore these materials in high school itself? To find some answers out for myself, I decided to interview people outside my family to seek input about various professions. After a couple of rewarding interviews, I thought, “why not make the information I come across available, accessible, useful, and concise for high-schoolers in my shoes?” That’s how I decided to start this blog/podcast. 

While this blog is focused on professions in the United States, the majority of these careers/professions could be similar in other countries as well. The main differences may be in areas such as the educational qualifications or professional accreditations required. 

The ultimate, albeit idealistic, goal of this blog is to present every high schooler with sufficient information about the numerous career options available to them. I hope you guys find this information useful. Thanks for reading! Please subscribe to the blog and podcast to stay notified about future content.