Careers Advice: What To Advise a Teenager

As I have overly discussed in previous posts of late regarding my particular indecisiveness (which, at the rate that I keep unpurposely mentioning it, will claim the title of a deeply unwanted habit, just like my so-called penchant for dark chocolate has spiralled out of control within a few weeks), it needn't surprise you that a sudden bout of confusion has struck at my baffled mind once again, this time in the form of deciding on the route I intend to take as a career in the near future.

Oh yes, I may have all but spent the past few years emphasizing about my intentions to post hundreds upon hundreds of my lavishly written CV to various writing companies and newspapers, constantly drifting into a Bahamas-ique fantasy of leading the way in the highly influential industry of journalism whenever my eyes lost focus during a repeated episode of The Simpsons which my brother somewhat felt inclined to watch for the six hundredth time in a Homer-packed week, yet a part of myself is sending out a blazing warning that a change of heart is closely brimming towards the horizon. If I had allowed myself to fly into a sensational panic about the current outbreak of angrier-than-rebellious-mood spots as my inner drama queen would instantly revel itself within, a meltdown would be inevitable had I not been currently feeling rather laidback regarding the curiosity leading me towards something potentially greater than I had even dreamt of, but I guess that everybody reacts differently to various events which take place in our not-so-easy lives, am I not right?

Perhaps it was the long-awaited visit to a Crown Court a few days ago which set me thinking about my future career path and planted a few seeds into my easily captivated mind, but I cannot be entirely definite right at this moment; right now, all which matters the most to me is sorting out the junk splattered across the dustier-than-the-polluted-air floor coating the bottom of my mind, rather like throwing out the spam we typically receive in our virtual mailboxes almost on a daily (and irritatingly so) basis. Would I sound like a half-crazed nut case (with a special soft spot for tasty pecan halves) if I declared the fact that all I wish to seek in my lifetime is a world of stability and clear surroundings, never hanging on the edge of my seat with the nail-biting fear of falling beneath solid ground? The same, as I believe, applies to almost everything which plays a role, regardless of its imposing or seemingly insignificant size, within my life, and it is the main key to maintaining a healthy level of vitality and self-happiness - if the decision could be passed to our hands, would any of us choose to worry about holding onto dear life to a deeply needed, yet bitterly despised job when another option more welcoming to our needs was available to be taken immediately? Unless I asked the question (whether it was rhetorical or not, I'll leave it up to the Oxford Dictionary to declare it) incorrectly, there is hardly any doubt at all as to whether we, widely known as a happiness-seeking species, would stop at nothing to achieve the lives we dream of leading, and stability is only one of the things which we strive to gain in order to keep the party going in a super slick fashion!

Anyway, enough is enough about avoiding stumbling into ankle-destructing pot holes and one's legs wobbling as dangerously as a bowl of raspberry-flavoured jelly, and let's move onto business - careers! Age may be influencing me to think about what I intend to do once I throw away age-old school ties and cease relations with impossible-to-sharpen pencils, and, in many ways, I do feel slightly excited about what lies ahead in the not-too-distant future; the once dream-like reality of going out in a bustling city to make a living is really hitting me hard now, which has opened my eyes to everything associated with leading a financially secure and independent lifestyle. Within a few years' time, I'll be further away from my long-gone days of playing with Bratz dolls and getting ready to be introduced to living it up as a qualified and respected adult, but in what profession will I gain all of my experience and make my knowledge more valuable than a Tiffany diamond? Until recently, I had been swept into the sea (one of which is far saltier than a single serving of heart disease-endangering French Fries) by a wave promising a successful career as a high-flying journalist, realizing my potential to earn a semi-decent living through the influential art of writing away to my heart's content. This gave me the perfect opportunity to lock myself away in a steaming hot bedroom (mine of course, which would later become a B.O-reeking burden during a heatwave) for hours on end and settle into the style of writing which I still loyally abide by today, but I hardly ever gave a single thought to the renowned difficulties which thousands of wannabe journalists face whilst attempting to leave their mark on the overflowing industry.

Unlike numerous teenagers whose aspirations don't reach much further than making a noticeable appearance on The Only Way of Essex or claiming the hearts (or costly phone calls, courtesy of money-draining phone providers) of the British public during a short-lived stint on The X Factor, I steered clear of entering a market leaning towards misportrayed youth and worked hard at increasing my chances of pursuing a career in the journalism/media sector, but my outlook instantly changed as soon as I added Law to my curriculum a few months ago as a last-minute addition. Maybe I hadn't given much thought to it before or was too glued to the season finale of Revenge to pay the slightest hint of attention, but, whether I chose to believe it or not, I actually had already displayed some interest in Law by being drawn to reading articles about highly publicised trials and discussing committed crimes to my family on a regular basis. And as I slowly drew away from talking ten to a dozen about my first passion - fashion (sorry if those two homophones bring a former Bratz phrase to mind!) - Law started to take me into a world powerfully associated with our own and assumed the role of a slight obsession (yet an educational one!) within no space of time.

Therefore, the prospect of leaving journalism behind in place of joining the remarkable legion of lawyers, barristers and solicitors is beckoning and the hole in which I'm stuck in closing in on top of myself as time increasingly slips away - what should I do? I'm torn between following my near life-long dream of writing for national newspapers and earning a stable income from a well-paid job as a barrister, one career within the Law sector which interests me highly (or a member of the Queen's Counsel, if such a dream stood a chance of coming true!); reality is forcing me to reach a conclusion and follow a path which I will aim my studies towards, yet foggy confusion is all but preventing me from making a final decision.

From time to time, I can be as stubborn as a grumpy donkey and will virtually refuse to change my mind after making a conclusive decision - the only exceptions only seem to include a heart-panting desire to tuck into a sugar-laden Mars bar or take a leap of faith by watching a film which my action-loving brother likes. Yet I couldn't be further from living up to my so-called stubbornness by refusing to reach a decision as to my career choices, which is highly frustrating - what more could a girl seeking a crystal clear future want? Perhaps this could be the moment when it suddenly dawns upon me that I don't need to choose between two passions, after all; many news correspondents specializing in particular subjects such as Law usually get a degree before entering either the journalistic or media industries, so the previous burning desire to wave farewell to one passion needn't be reignited if I could combine the two, does it?

And when I'm immune to my stubborn streak or have proudly walked away from the evil clutches of indecision, I will probably wake up tomorrow morning in an entirely different mood - will my current idea last beyond eight hours sleep? Like Aladdin seeking for his genie in a bottle (so I imagine is the film's plot, having never sat down to watch it), searching for an easily led life is amongst the many items on my list of priorities, so I cannot wait to find out where I will be (apart from the chocolate section at the supermarket) within a decade's time!