I've heard of people having epiphanies, but as far as I know, I've never had one, until today that is. I've been unemployed since last December and I've just started my fall term in community college. I'm only 3 weeks in, but of course in this hectic world we live in today, it's already time to start registering for Spring classes. I've declared a major of "Design Technology". Now, there are several career paths available in this major, when I first happened upon it, I was leaning towards the one they termed, "computer graphics". As time went on though and I actually registered for classes I'd talked myself into trying to pursue a degree that would lead me into either mechanical drafting or civil engineering, both a far cry from computer graphics.
So far, I'd been doing fine in my classes but I started seeing a recurring theme when it came to the areas I'd decided I would pursue, they're very math heavy! Now, I'm not that great at math, but more importantly, I don't really enjoy math. Everything I'm hearing about people that go into the engineering/draftsman fields is that they invariably enjoy math. I don't. So I decided that I would go back to pursuing the computer graphics path in my major, so I went in to speak with my adviser about what classes I should sign up for in the Spring semester. She started off by giving me some bad news. My community college was no longer (starting next semester) be offering the computer graphics electives in Design Technology! Then she saved me by telling me that they were splitting that off from Design Technology into it's own major entitled "Visual Communication". So, while a couple of classes that I'm now taking won't count towards a degree in visual communication, I can still switch majors next semester and pursue what I want to. At this point she got up and asked me what it was I wanted to do as she retrieved some paperwork from a shelf. She asked me if I'd rather pursue a field of "Graphic design", "Web development" or "animation".
It was at this point that I had my epiphany, and it only lasted a split second but seemed to last long enough for me have a whole conversation with myself in my head! I thought to myself, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, but I know what I enjoy doing and that's what I want to study at school, and someday, I'll get a job of some sort allowing me to do what I love!" And only a half a second after she asked me that I shouted out, "Animation!" Even though the little niggling voice in the back of my head was saying "Graphic design and web development either one are a better choice, there are more and better paying jobs available for either of them!" But I didn't listen to that little voice that has shot me in the foot so many times over the years and stuck with what felt right.
Sometimes, you've just got to let go and do what feels right. I've worked for nearly 30 years at jobs that I've HAD TO DO. It's time now to do what I WANT TO DO!
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