University of Saskatchewan Student Makes a Difficult Decision

By Jolissa Simon

Every high school graduate is faced with the classic yearbook question: “Future plans?” Even though it’s a two word inquiry, sometimesgiving an answer can be overwhelming–but it doesn’t have to be. For me, being able to confidently answer this question took a series of steps.

I knew I wanted a career that was both fulfilling and enjoyable. In order to do that, I needed to discover who I was. I asked myself questions such as, “What doI enjoy?” “What am I good at?” and most importantly, “What makes me happy?” In Grade 12, I loved English. As a result I did extremely well in the subject, and I knew this made me happy.

If I excelled in this area and liked it, it was only natural that I exploredmy career options. There were a multitude of them, ranging all the way from librarian to professor. In order to narrow that selection down I had to choose which direction I wanted to proceed in career-wise.
 
This was the tricky part. There were so many options! However, what I did find out was this: an English degree could give me the stepping stones and the basics I needed for career paths that did jump out at me, such as lawyer or speech pathologist. So, I made my decision.
 
Today, I am a fourth year student at the University of Saskatchewan completing my honours degree in English. Not only has it added to my education, butalso hasbrought along amazing experiences as well. One of these amazing experiences is my current internship at the U of S. I get to work in Student Recruitment and Admissions where I get to read, write, and edit everyday–everything I love. The even cooler part is that some of my work gets published. Yay!

Looking back, I can say that I am happy with my decision. Whenever people ask me what I’m taking in university, I proudly tell them that I am an English major. It is not only helping me achieve my goals, but alsoleading me to a career that I will love.

Many people feel unsure about their future careers. If you are one of them, check out Plan My Career (link “Plan My Career” to http://explore.usask.ca)on the University of Saskatchewan’s website.