I love my mother the most in the universe. We argue constantly over trivial things, but in the end, we reconcile because we know we’re greater than our petty arguments. One thing that constantly comes up though, is what I will do for a career. When I hear the words ‘major’, ‘job’, or ‘rest of my life’, I tense up. It’s not like I don’t know what I am interested in. But what’s stopping me from continuing on the path towards my interests is — you guessed it — my mother. Ever since I was a child, she had always wanted me to become a doctor, lawyer, or pharmacist. There was actually a brief time that I considered becoming a doctor, but that only lasted a year. For the most part, I knew I was fascinated with astronomy. However, when I voiced this passion, my mother would tell me that “becoming an astronomer is unrealistic, and that I have to think about a career’s long-term benefits.” I understand that as my mother, she will always worry about me, my future, and my financial stability. She believes that becoming an astronomer will not put me on the smooth, paved road to success. I don’t disagree with that, because I do know that there are very few schools that focus on that. There are probably even fewer esteemed companies out there, compared to the medical and justice systems. So after putting that fantasy aside, I decided to be a good daughter and considered my mother’s next preferred choice: an accountant. Besides hating math, I didn’t really have any excuse to conjure because accountants don’t require excessive time and money devoted to medical or law school. However, I had also developed an interest in psychology due to the Advanced Placement course I was taking. When my mother heard, she also shot the idea down. She would spend hours lecturing me on how her co-workers who chose to pursue psychology ended up not being able to find a job in that field. Or, even worse, how those who did find a psychology-related job, became psychologically distressed or depressed. My mother would contrast this negativity with her other co-workers that “made the right decision” in becoming accountants. They’re happy, financially stable, and know what they’re doing with their pleasant lives. All of my family and friends are telling me to follow MY dream, since my happiness is what matters. As Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I don’t want to disappoint or be at odds with my most cherished person, though. But who am I really doing this for, my mother or myself?
