My whole life everyone knew that I wanted to become a nurse anesthetist. So when I came to Georgia Southern University for the nursing program all my family and friends were very encouraging. However, last fall I decided that nursing was something I was not going to be happy doing in 20 years so I decided to change my major to Fashion Merchandising and Journalism (complete 180, I know).
I knew that getting a job in this field would be hard so I started to become more involved in groups around campus that would improve my resume like: Student Media, D.I.M.E.S Fashion Organization, PR for the local boys and girls club, and many more, but still when I told adults my majors I would get the same reaction.
“So how do your parents feel about that?”
The first time I was asked that it really threw me off because in my whole three years at Georgia Southern I have never been asked a question like that. So my simple response was that they were perfectly fine with my decision and know that I have the willpower to do whatever I choose when I graduate college.
My parents know that I will go on to do great things because I am their daughter and they will support me in anything I decide to do. I have open talks with them and the fact that they see how happy I am learning about fashion and perfecting the art of journalism.
Yet I still get the same response from people I know and don’t know when I tell them my majors, and I have come to the realization that it really doesn’t matter what I say, people are going to have their own perception of me as soon as I tell them I hope to become a reporter or editor of a fashion magazine.
Yes my parents are perfectly okay with my decisions, and they are confident in what I do because of how they have raised me. I am not offended that you may be concerned about my career choice, but I am however offended that you are questioning my parent’s ability to raise me into someone that will strive to become the best in whatever. I am happy and so are my parents, but thank you for the concern.