Lifework

As far as I can remember, whenever I would think about my future career there was always one thing that was 100% clear to me: I am not cut out to work in a cubicle. I could not and still can’t picture myself at a desk, staring at a computer screen all day. Maybe it’s too dramatic to say that I would rather be unemployed than doing a job I hate, but that about sums up who I am as a person. If I’m doing something, I’m all in, all the time. I do not “half ass” anything. I work almost exclusively off of passion and willpower, and while that can get me into trouble sometimes, it’s also something I really like about myself. One of the things that I am really passionate about is bettering the world around me and using the privileges and gifts I’ve been given to lift others up. I know that for me to feel truly successful in my career, there has to be an aspect of it that is helping people directly. Before I even start my career I know I want to do a service year, hopefully as a part of AmeriCorps NCCC, and I would also love to be in the Peace Corps at some point in my life. I also hope to do a lot of non-profit work during my career. Last semester, I took a class on terrorism and we learned that in some cases people join terrorist groups because the group will offer them social services such as healthcare. In places of high poverty, such as Lebanon, it’s easier to understand why people would join a terrorist cause- they are desperate to provide for their families. This class really shifted my perspective on the world, and it made me realize how impactful humanitarian work can be in solving big, important problems. One of my biggest career goals is to work for the FBI, specifically the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in counterterrorism, and either through my job or away from it I want to do humanitarian work specified towards preventing or lessening terrorism. On a smaller scale, one thing that I have always wanted to do is be a foster parent. I have a very big extended family, and through my family there has always been a sort of open door policy. We would constantly have other family or friends stopping in, and there was always room for one more at the dinner table or an extra bed if someone needed it. Because of this, I want to open my future house up to foster kids and anyone else who might need it in the same that my family has. Even though it’s not a career goal, it’s something that I want to include in my life as much as I want to have a cool job. In essence, I know I won’t feel fulfilled in my life unless I’m doing something to help other people both in my career and outside of it.