So what do you want to do?

     I agree with the ideas presented in the op-ed piece by Isabella Glassmen that careerism is ruining college. Glassmen defines part of careerism in college spaces as the “pre-professional pressure: a prevailing culture that convinces many of us that only careers in field such as computer programming, finance and consulting … can secure us a worthwhile futures” ( Glassman, 1). As a result of this pressure, many students have shifted their majors to these careers without any true interest. Freier’s theory supports Glassmen's claims by highlighting that the traditional education system does not encourage individualism or students to pursue their passion. Instead, this system “Attempts to control thinking and action, leads women and men to adjust to the world, and inhibits their creative power” ( Freire, 91). 

My own experience, in college has echoed the op-ed and Freire. At times, I feel as though a few buttons I clicked when I was 17 years old set me on an express lane that I don’t want to be on. I recently spoke with a friend, also a freshman in college, and we wondered: when were we supported to find our passion in high school? After sports? After a whole day with seven classes? And now, after just one semester in college, am supported to know where I want to be in 15 years? What!? To relieve some of this pressure, I’ve found it helpful to talk to my parents, who always reassure me that everything will be okay and remind me that college is about discovering who you are. Additionally, this semester I had some free space in my schedule, so I decided to pursue my interest in math. This small step has helped me feel more connected to my own interests and less consumed by the expectations of others.