Finding your major can be like finding a needle in a haystack. So many options, so little time.
You may think four years will stretch on for eternity, but it goes by in the blink of an eye. In the time it takes you to finally choose your major, you might be halfway done with your college experience.
How do you know which path you should take? Which career fits you like a glove? It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.
I don’t know about you, but I knew what kind of career I wanted to go into back in high school. I love writing stories and taking photographs. I wrote stories all the time as a child, though photography is a more recent year’s hobby I hope to turn professional.
Pictures paint a thousand words that reach out like vines, wrapping around our eyes and planting its roots within our hearts. Words beautifully written reverberate within the mind and settle into the depths of our souls.
Guest speakers solidified my career choice throughout my college experience.
I chose journalism during my freshman year of college. I didn’t want to stereotypically change my major every semester.
I will admit it’s difficult to be confident in my decision. Some days I’m flying high and others I feel like I should give up.
Professors inviting guest speakers to class has given students more than just advice. They offer students hope, perspective and a future.
The pandemic has made the workforce look bleak. It’s encouraging to know some managed to get or hold a job during these difficult times.
A recent guest speaker in my Reporting II class significantly encouraged me.
Andrea Vogt lives in Italy. She speaks three languages. She’s a reporter and documentary filmmaker. She reports on crime, European social affairs and U.S. politics.
My fascination with her career drew me into every word she spoke. Everything she has done in her career is what I want to do in mine.
I did news reporting for the Argonaut last semester but decided to take a break this semester since I plan on graduating this spring. I loved staying on top of the latest events, interviewing people, taking photos and running around town to report on protests with other reporters.
She told my class to not be afraid of starting small. Doing feature stories on people or animals gets readers engaged. Familiarizing yourself with public records, police logs, courts, lawyers and prosecutors helps you learn about events in the city you’re working in.
I don’t think I’ll ever be a top reporter, but I’ll keep working on setting career goals for myself before I graduate. As the proverb says, “if at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Guest speakers give students wisdom and insight into the workforce of tomorrow. It won’t be an easy road to travel down, but we don’t have to navigate it with blindfolded eyes.
Kim Stager can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu or on Twitter @journalismgoals