Char R.

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

As a child, I would always want to give money to the homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. I always found myself being the little helper at school or at home. I eventually figured out that this meant I had a “heart of service” (which means that you like to help people for free). Little did I know that I would eventually choose a career where I would help people all day long. I also noticed that I liked children. Even as a child myself, I liked being around babies and toddlers. As a freshman in high school, I decided that I would put my “heart of service” and “love for children” together and become a pediatrician. I chose my career by thinking about the things I was good at in combination with the things I loved to do. Once sophomore year hit, things changed. I took a chemistry class and got a “C.” I struggled so bad in that class. I knew that becoming a doctor would require me to take years of science classes, so because of fear, I chose nursing instead thinking it was the easier way out. Wrong! I still had to take heavy science classes and still got a “C” in college chemistry. I wouldn’t recommend any of you to let fear stop you from going after your dream career. It happened to work out for me, but I now realize that I had the smarts to become a doctor if I had only stuck with it. I was the shy girl who wasn’t popular. I worked hard in my studies, but I didn’t feel like one of the “smart kids.” Little did I know that I would be a successful nurse one day who would go on to teach students as a nursing instructor. Me? Speaking in front of a group of students? No way! Well, yes way! It happened for me and it can happen for you too. Never give up no matter how hard it gets! It’ll be worth it in the end.