Dream jobs don't always become reality

Some students at Plattsburgh State have always known what they wanted to be when they grew up. Others were hit with curve balls that motivated them to chase other opportunities.

Jessica Whittaker had always known she wanted to pursue teaching. She said she remembers thinking she wanted to be a teacher when she was as young as five.

“I have always loved working with kids,” Whittaker said.

She said she likes teaching children and she enjoys  how they also teach her new things. Whittaker is a sophomore majoring in childhood education with a concentration in math. She said the program has been different than what she imagined it to be, but she still enjoys it and wouldn’t change it.

Katherine Otanez also knew from the beginning what kind of field she wanted to be in.

“I really wanted to be a doctor when I was younger, but then I saw all of the years it would take,” she said.

But Otanez didn’t completely change around her goals. She is now a freshman in the nursing program and is content where she is at.

“We haven’t really jumped into any work yet, but I’m excited for the clinicals,” she said.

Otanez has thought about going back to pursue her dream job as a doctor by picking up some minors but not right now.

According to Forbes magazine, “many of the most popular kid-friendly careers aren’t the best paid.” So maybe it is a good thing that some students change their career path no instead of seeing what the future holds for them.

For example, PSUC student Katie Davis had always envisioned herself growing up to be a princess. Eventually she into her middle school years, and decided that maybe a teacher would be a better fit.

Davis is now a senior and is majoring in secondary french education with the hopes of someday becoming a French teacher. She didn’t always know that she was interested in teaching French. When she first came to PSUC, she studied broadcast journalism for a year before realizing it wasn’t for her. She instead decided to focus on French, which has always maintained a presence in her schooling.

“I took a lot of French classes up until my junior year in high school,” Davis said.

She said that studying to be a French teacher is different than she thought it would be like.

“It’s not all about handing out tests to a class and just correcting them, there’s more to it than that,” she said.

She also likes how some of her classes are very small and consist of only about five people.

“The teachers get to know you as a person,” she said. “But its hard work, and you can’t rely on other people.”

Davis said she is happy with one day becoming a French teacher, but she might change her mind back to becoming a princess if the opportunity rises.

“Hey,” Davis said. “If I meet a prince in the future, I’m down.”