Dear Nobody

Chapter 1

Well, it's official. I know what I want to become. 

Yes, I can see those of you who know me offline rolling your eyes at the screen. "Again?" you are thinking to yourself, "I thought we went through this already!"

And it's true. I've jumped around a lot when it comes to choosing a career. Because trust me, it's hard! One minute you're enjoying elementry school and the next you're in Grade 11, with all these pressures on you and on top of that, you're expected to choose something to do with your life that you won't hate. 

Sure, sure. "You're only in Grade 11. You've got plenty of time." Ha, yeah right. 

First of all, if you're like me, you're indecisive. And you know it. It took you three months to decide if you wanted to paint your room or wallpaper it and if you were given the time you acually felt like you needed to pick chocolate or vanilla, your icecream would have melted. So you make flash decisions and then realize... SHOOT !!! I don't even like chocolate icecream ! And now you're stuck with it. All because you couldn't make up your mind in time. 

That's what it's been like for me when trying to pick a career. I've jumped around probably more than a lot of people. I remember when I was 5 and I wanted to be a nurse so that I could help people. Then I realized I was terrified of needles. And I throw up at the sight of blood. 

Then I turned 6, and I decided that I was destined to be a farmer's wife. Yup. That's going to happen about as soon as I marry my dad (another thing I had my heart set on at 6). Never gonna happen.

I didn't pick another career until I was 11. That's when I started getting involved in our local museum. I remember watching the curator busling around and thinking 'this would be a cool job. I want to work here.' And quite frankly, the parts I watched her do were amazing. Setting up displays, handling artifacts that were over 100, 200 years old, sometimes even older. I still think it's an amazing job. But it would probobly help if I had the patience to learn that much.

Once that fell through, I decided I wanted to be a teacher. It was a choice hugely influenced by working with kids that came through the museum and working at a summer day camp. Then I realized just how much schooling was involved with teaching. If I would have gone to the university everybody wanted me to attend, I'd have been at school for five years. Five years at 20,000 a year... need I say more? Not to mention, the job market isn't exactly amazing right now if you're a teacher.

I thought I could settle for ECE, since I'd still be working with kids, and it's a much shorter program, so I went to one of Conestoga's open houses to look at their ECE program. As soon as I saw their program, I knew one thing for certain. That program was not for me. Maybe somebody else would enjoy being a glorified babysitter, but I didn't have the patience. Don't get me wrong, early childhood education is a wonderful program, but it's not for me. 

I did find one part of the open house eye opening though. While walking through their workshops, almost hidden away in the corner was one of the most eye catching stands there. A very friendly lady came up to me and introduced herself. She was a teacher from the school, she told us, and she taught a few of the Visual Merchandising Art courses. The program facinated me, but I somehow I still couldn't see myself at Conestoga. I found a buisness course as well that I liked very much and so I left, pondering many different ideas in my head. 

Then, just last Saturday, I attended one of Sheridan's open houses. Sheridan's closest campus is almost two hours away from home, and I didn't think I wanted to go somewhere so far away, but I still wanted to see what they offered. I pulled into the parking lot with the idea that I wasn't going to go there. Anybody who knows me well will know that once I make up my mind I don't often turn back but this was an exeption. Once I found the Visual Merchandising program Sheridan offered, I was sold. The people were amazing, the job opertunities are amazing, and even the dorms are perfection!

Now I know I'm not there yet, but Ladies and Gentlemen, I know exactly what I want to do with my life. And that's a really, really good feeling. 

R.R.