It seems inevitable that this question will be asked. From a kindergarten class where we’re asked what we want to be when we grow up (apparently I wanted to be a Barney) to a job interview and a manager trying to see your ambition. The question assumes that we do see ourselves and have a path figured out and really comes from this fault inherent in our system where we are supposed to know what we want to do and make decisions based on this and sometimes it can be overwhelming, like a long run-on sentence expressing distress about the future, rambling about the difficulty of committing to a path, admitting fear of making a bad decision that leaves you in a dead-end job and a mid-life crisis, and this is being asked of a teenager, which could be a little stressful. Some people who know me may find it “classic” that I question the whole idea of the prompt instead of just answering it straightaway as requested of me. Frankly, in 3 years I see myself as 22 years old.

In terms of the group project, I am reaffirming some things I had already believed about myself:

1. I prefer to work alone
2. I consider myself a leader  (or at least tend to take the leader role in a group)
3. I need to make sure that I don’t come off as arrogant, because the average person reading sentence #2 either cringed or thought that was an egotistical statement (probably)

Now to answer some questions.

During the group project, I used one staff resource: we were told the website idealist.org, so I used that. Otherwise, I found that the staff/faculty was not necessary for help. I said I prefer to work alone. That includes a proclivity for avoiding asking for help and trying to solve the problem myself. And I don’t think that’s bad- it’s my way of being able to maintain independence and not find myself in a jam without the people I would require for assistance.

I used SAAC once because of a requirement. I was out of my one hour appointment in five minutes.

I have joined Mock Trial but despite the efforts of certain key members (including our very own Jose Ayala), we still have to get it off the ground. Meanwhile, I am attempting to create a Film Club, which I will actually be meeting about tomorrow (December 3rd). I see this as a potential step forward in my resume, as well as in my enthusiasm towards film (as of this article’s post-date, I have seen 126 of the IMDb Top 250- still working hard).

I don’t think the team project has done much for me in terms of “giving me an edge.” The presentation and group organization tactics were all things I had previously used in a BUS Recitation Group Project. Presentation was something from COM. I see this not as the development of new skills, but as a reuse of past practices.

I haven’t done anything yet in Community Service, so my understanding of it has still stagnated. I work better from examples, so talking about making a difference has not actually done anything for me yet.

So do I actually have an answer for the question? In 3 years I’ll be a senior. I don’t know a major (maybe English?) or a minor (Political Science?). I thought coming in that I would become a lawyer. I’m not so sure now. Too many lawyers saying not to be a lawyer. One person said “don’t go into law school unless you really want to go to law school.” I don’t know if I really want to go. I like Film. I like English. One is difficult to break into. The other low-paying. What will I do? In 3 years I hope to still be trying to question the question and not just give a perfunctory answer. It’s three whole years. I’ve got time.