Now What?

As your entering your first or final year of college you may still be asking yourself, "What the heck do I want to do with my life?" At times you get nervous because you feel like you should have decided right now, or possibly what you've decided may be the wrong thing. Either way your carrying a lot of stress on your shoulders.

My first year of college I knew to a certain extent on what I wanted to do. But the same time, I wasn't opposed to other ideas. It seems to many that college is the time where you find out what you want to do for the rest of your life. For some people it is true. They wake up every day to the same job they love and do it for the rest of their lives. For others, it takes a couple different jobs to figure out what they really like.

Get involved around campus! Join different clubs that interests you and don't be opposed to new ideas. You could end up finding something that you really like. The more you get to actually know the type of work you will be doing, the better decision you can ultimately make in deciding if it's right for you. I have an internship with Northwestern Mutual this summer as a Financial Representative. Financial planning and advising was something that I have always wanted to get into so this internship seemed like the perfect fit.

I liked the overall idea about financial planning and advising. I've always been good at numbers and interacting with people and I wanted to become educated on how to advise people/ companies to spend money. What I completely disregarded is the other things that come with it! I mean this in both the good and the bad. At a young age I am fortunate to have learned to save money in the right places. However something I completely disregarded of this professional is other parts of the job that come with us. The rejection, calling on old-friends and people you do not know, endless hours of paper work, giving up your social life for the summer, dressing up and being professional every day.

What I'm recommending to you readers is this: 1. Keep an open-mind in what you do and other ideas 2. Research what you would like to have as your profession & 3. Take everything into account, even the minor details on the other details that go with your profession. If it were not for this internship I would have no idea of the reality of the challenges of this profession. You need to want it and work as hard as you can otherwise anything less will leave you feeling guilty. Go and talk with other people/parents that you know are in the profession you want to go to. Heck, even follow them around at their work for a day if they will let you! This will let you know exactly on what your in for. You don't want to have a job you know little about but know you want and than 3 months later decide you don't want to do it!

Look into new career opportunities with an open-mind and be active in clubs around campus that interest you. Don't be afraid to ask questions to your professors, club-members, friends, etc. about the profession you want to go into. Al these people want to see you achieve success in a job that you will know. After all, these people know you better than anyone and will let you know the career that they could see you doing. So look into what you want to do, research it, experiment it with an intern/job, and talk to as many people as you can who are in that profession. Go to college this fall with an open-mind and find out what the heck you really do want to do with your life.

Once in a Kansas Summer

Talk about nice! With a temperature in the mid-80s here in Kansas City, people on their most tired day can find energy to enjoy this weather. After weeks and weeks of being abused by 100 plus degree days, today is a day to rejoice. Rain or Shine any runner can appreciate this weather. Today is a day of no excuses, no treadmills, no alternative workout, no P90x (even though its rips you to shreds), just go out and run! Normally 80 degrees isn’t something to be too happy about but it’s like running in 60 degrees elsewhere. I remember this track season after winning the 1500 hundred at our home meet in high 80 degree temperatures I was in the training tent for an hour with ice all over my body. Not today people, today’s mindset is set to get as much work at a high quality level as I can. Summer in Kansas doesn’t come up with many of these days so I will be enjoying the rainy, storm brewing breeze during my workout this evening.. What kind of work will you be doing today?