“My Future Plans and Ambitions”

Central High School – West Allis, WI

Right now my one definite ambition is to graduate from high school. From then on my plans are more than a little hazy. I’m trying to take a course, majoring in history, mathematics and English that will be suitable for entering college or, if I decide to attend a business college instead, will give me some background for commercial work. I feel that typing and shorthand would also be useful in college.

The problem of my future would be much simpler if I were planning on some career or knew what types of work I am really fitted for. As it is I am confused because I do not know what fields of work I am fitted for. Aptitude tests seem to be unknown here and the so called “vocational guidance” programs do not aid in finding out what a person’s natural abilities are. I know there must be some type of work I would enjoy doing and there are several fields I am interested in.

I’d like to attend college if that were definitely a step forward in attaining some goal. But I can’t see college as just another preparatory period for selecting my life work. I’d like to major in journalism but then what? Getting a toehold in that field seems anything but easy.

I’m fascinated by clothes and the field of fashion in general. I know I do not have enough creative ability to become a designer but I would like being a buyer for a department store or something similar to that.

I’m also interested in people as individuals. I would never enjoy speaking before a crowd but I would like working with people individually. I’d like doing work such as personnel work, or being a social worker, or even a psychiatrist.

I often wish I would merely have to gaze into a crystal ball and thereby decide my future. Sometimes I think I’d like to be able to look into the future ten years from now and see what I’ll be doing. But that, even though it would be the easiest way out of my problem, would not satisfy me either. That would be passively accepting my fate and I don’t want that. I’d rather see what the following years have to offer one by one and build the best life I am able to.

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