Before you get to your senior year, it is easy to think that you know what you want to do with your life. Whether this is to go on to college, take a year to yourself, or just join the workforce everyone needs to make this decision. I was sure of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to go to school for in middle school, but in my junior year, I had a change of heart. 

When I was younger I always wanted to go into the police force, but my junior year during careers, my mind changed. This was something new for me because I was so set on being a police officer for so many years. In careers class, you go through many different types of careers/jobs and do research on them, and I found one especially intriguing: social work. 

Now, I know exactly the look you may be giving me because I have gotten it from almost everyone I have told other than close friends and family. But the thought of helping people through their hard times brings me happiness. I always knew I wanted to help people, hence being in the police force, but I never thought about social work. 

It is so easy to think that you have your whole life planned out, but even the littlest of bumps could turn you in a completely different direction. Pretty much everyone will go through this in their lives because life never goes exactly as planned. This is completely okay though, and we make the best of it that we can. 

Being able to help people personally is something that makes my heart especially warm and happy. Most people tell me about how hard it is going to be and ask why I would want to put myself through someone else’s problems and issues, but I think it takes an incredibly dedicated person to be in a job like this. Not trying to toot my own horn, but even though these sides are something to consider, there are so many great parts to the job as well. 

So, in the fall of 2020, I will be studying social work at the University of Nebraska – Kearny, and I could not be more excited to start this new journey. Although incredibly nerve-wracking and a little bit scary, this is a great start to a new part of my life.