People sometimes ask me what I studied in college. I usually answer,
“Um, not sure. A little of everything?” I graduated two years ago and I still don’t know what
I want to major in. Three colleges, five declared majors, seven years and ten
semesters gave me two degrees in General Studies.
As a child, I told people I wanted to be a mom. In middle
school I wanted to be whatever I was presently doing: a ski instructor while in
Vail (ha!), a mathematician while in algebra class, an author while reading
Harry Potter. High school was a place to begin specializing my interests but I
found myself enjoying English, chemistry, calculus and orchestra equally (I am not as big of a dork as that sounded). College
only proved to further frustrate my quest for that “thing” at which I was to
excel. My sister had art, my brother had his own business, and I had student
loans.
At 27, even as a wife and mother and part-time employee, I often feel unaccomplished. I have peers that are lawyers and doctors, teachers and
engineers. I am doing the same thing I did when I was 18, only now I have to
call a babysitter first.
In the last few weeks, I’ve begun to discover that a college degree is not
synonymous with a person’s identity and that being a wife and mother, while not
financially rewarding, is a huge accomplishment and enormously important. Also,
I don’t have to choose a “thing” if I don’t want to (I don't). During nap and Netflix
time, I choose many things and hope to choose many more things
as my babe grows and experiences his own academic crises.
My things, future jobs and hobbies, are, in no particular
order and not limited to:
Art teacher
Elementary music teacher
High School English teacher
Homeschool teacher (maybe?)
Piano teacher
Pianist
Violist
Guitarist
Cook
Baker
Cake decorator
Seamstress
Collage artist
2D artist
Graphic designer
Interior designer
Window display stylist
Freelance writer
Blogger
Editor
Photographer
Screenwriter
Nutritionist
Herbalist
Naturopathic Physician
Health food store employee
Personal organizer
House cleaner
This list is overwhelming and I have a tendency to attempt
tackling eight of these at one time, but as a master of General Studies, I’m
clearly qualified.
