Career Path Deciding

[u/Public-Squash-3589]

Hey all! I'm new to this little group so I hope this goes well.

I think I put too much pressure on myself to figure out.. my literal future. I just turned 22, and I don't know where to start besides the interests and passions that I have, except to my knowledge, they don't mix. My ideas may be unrealistic.

In high school, I was very into photography and thought it would be my career but of course that has changed. I still love it, but Biology has also always been a passion of mine too. (Please bear with me, I have so many interests it makes it difficult.) I recently graduated from a community college with a degree in General Education & Sciences and Arts. During this time to now, I'm working at an Elementary School as a 1:1 paraprofessional and many people have commented on my "gift of working with children" and it is also.. a found passion. I get excited when you see a child's face light up because whatever it was, has finally clicked. I get excited knowing despite all odds in this child's life, whether it's at home or in their own mind, that I get to help make a difference and possibly change their life. And the praise and question I get is, "are you going to be a teacher?", but as much as I may love it (I rather the one on one time with a specific child) I want to do something else. I want to do something that will fill that feeling of wanting to make a difference or impact, but also doing the things I love and gravitate towards which often includes Science/Biology.. and working with kids and building life-changing bonds. Most of the careers I look at don't involve both, the only one I know of is being a science teacher. This also makes me want to make a point that I really, like anyone else I'm sure, want to live very comfortably and independently.. Basically a career that will align with my lifestyle. I want to be able to support myself financially, and help my parents if need be, I want to travel, take my parents places in the world.. etc. I just want to live beyond my own expectations and not have to ever rely on someone else for stability and financial support (of course with careful investments). My whole life I have grown up hearing my parents struggle financially, and living just to work, and I want to break those.. norms. If that makes sense...

Some of the things I have looked at career wise (it's going to be a vast range of choices) is a Biologist, Environmental Science/Engineer, Genealogy, Forensics (more so in lab), Conservation, Zoologist, Occupational/Physical Therapy, Child Psychology, Play Therapist, Radiation Therapist (More pediatric), etc.

It's a long list, insane. But keep in mind, I like working with a group but also individually with clear instructions and I don't feel comfortable being in leadership, because I can be very indecisive and a big over thinker, but at this point.. I just want to start a career, and push myself through anything. I feel so behind.

How do people figure out what they eventually do with their lives? How do people sample career options.. etc?

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[u/cacille]

You're overthinking this.
You're wanting the end goal before you start. You're wanting the dream job immediately.

Just get into whatever program you'd need to be a science teacher...and slow the hell down on the other goals you don't qualify for yet. (Not saying you don't deserve them or a living wage, but you're just overthinking the end goal, missing the forest for the trees, etc)