Ell Macias

Even when student life can be stressful at times, it is still important to hold out hope and look forward.

“I have no idea,” with a look of worry is a common answer to the question, “What are you going to do after high school?.” People regularly answer with a default career path that they are not interested in.

Students are constantly worried about their future and what their career is going to be.

However, people forget that it is okay to say “I do not know.” Not knowing what your future is going to look like is normal and healthy. 

Some people in high school know exactly what they are doing and have everything planned out. This may be beneficial in some ways, but it can be unrealistic. As you change and grow every day, your goals and ambitions can change too.

Not thinking about your future after high school at all is not the right choice, but planning out everything too early is not the best choice either. Finding a good balance between the two is the healthiest way. 

One of the first things you can do is explore many different activities or careers. If you are interested in becoming a scientist but also enjoy writing, try a science-related club and a writing-related course. Taking divergent classes and clubs can help you explore more of what you like and do not like. 

However, these activities do not have to be only in school. Volunteering, getting a job, or doing an internship can help divulge whether or not you enjoy a certain line of work too. 

Another suggestion is to learn more about yourself. Find what interests you and what you are good at. If you love science because of researching and experimenting, then use those interests to narrow down your potential career path. Utilize your hobbies and skills to pin down potential occupations. 

An additional tip is to research. Whether it is figuring out potential tuition costs and colleges, finding more information about the military, or taking a gap year, researching can help eliminate confusion about what your future after high school looks like.

Stay away from spending your high school years only on planning out your future. It can take more than four years to find the right fit for an occupation. So explore multiple options of potential careers, not none or only one.