I originally went into college as a Political Communications major, my school’s version of Political Science. I had always been very passionate about politics and thought the best way to utilize this interest was to go into the political field directly. Maybe become a lawyer, or even run for office one day! About a month into college, though, I realized there was no way I could continue with this as my full-time job. It stressed me out way too much, and I could feel my mental health beginning to decline in the worst way. I also go to a very creative college, and I looked around at all my peers, many of whom were following their creative passions, and felt jealous that my whole life wasn’t the one thing I’ve always loved above all else — writing. So after my first semester, I ended up changing my major to Creative Writing.
I don’t start off with this story to tell anyone that going into a creative field is definitely the right thing for them. On the contrary — going into a creative field has its downsides too. The study “Creative Burnout: Suffocating The Future of Design” by Kayla Roles discusses in depth how creative individuals who make their passion their whole life can experience a type of burnout that prevents them from finding joy in their art.
I tell this story instead to demonstrate how I began to identify the things I find valuable in my life. While I care deeply about politics, I also value my mental health. And above most other things, I value my creativity, and having avenues to explore it in my day-to-day life; hence why I wanted to study it full time.
But how do you truly identify what you find valuable? You may have a vast array of interests and, as I mentioned in the previous chapter, experience a choice paralysis in determining which are the most important to you. I have a series of questions I tend to ask myself when deciding if I should pursue something new. First, what are the things I find myself gravitating towards the most often? What do I spend the most time thinking about? For me, one of these things, whether it was negative or positive, was food. Even if I was anxious about my food consumption, it was ultimately because I’ve always enjoyed food so much.
Like in the case of Political Communications, I also always ask if this is something I can actually see myself doing. While you may have certain passions, not all of them are realistic with our lifestyles or personalities. I also have a vested interest in sea creatures, but I don’t think it’s realistic with my current education or location to try and become a marine biologist.
Lastly, if something is truly valuable to you, it will also add value to your life. Like with the food example, you may really enjoy specifically fast food. However, if you’re just eating fast food all the time, that isn’t going to be particularly positive for your body. You can always reshape this into something more positive overall, though, such as an appreciation for food in general. That way, you can find healthier alternatives that you may end up enjoying more!
At the end of the day, even if the things that you find valuable don’t necessarily become your job, it’s important to make time for the things that you find true value in. Just going through the motions in your everyday life won’t lead to living the life you truly want or deserve to lead. However, if you are interested in making a career out of your passions, or using them to make some extra cash, then be sure to check back in for my next chapters.
For when you’re stressed out by all the potential opportunities in your life, you can get 20% off your next treatment at Best MG Spa! Just pay with cash and bring this coupon and your student ID.
By Izzy Astuto
Izzy Astuto (he/they) is a writer currently majoring in Creative Writing at Emerson College, with a specific interest in screenwriting. His work has previously been published by Hearth and Coffin, Sage Cigarettes, and The Gorko Gazette, amongst others. He is currently a reader for journals such as PRISM international and Alien Magazine. You can find more of their work on their website, at https://izzyastuto.weebly.com/. Their Instagram is izzyastuto2.0 and Twitter is adivine_tragedy.
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Tags: anxiety, careeradvice, collegelife, Intentional Living-Learning, money, values