When I Grow Up, I Want to Be...

January 10, 2018 Add Comment Edit

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

That is the one question we always hear adults ask us back in the days. Teachers, guidance counselors, our parents, aunts and uncles, older sisters and brothers and the list goes on and on... and we've answered them a lot of times - doctor, teacher, police, fireman, dentist, engineer, scientist, biologist and all that kind of profession we think are the best out there.

But come to think of it, do you ever wonder what percentage of it comes true and what remains just a dream? What percentage of kids consistently answer the same profession and what remains forgotten? I don't know the answer but what I am sure of is I am one of those kids whose answers remains kiddie answers.

Back in kindergarten until fourth grade, I consistently answer that I want to be a pediatrician when I grow up. I know that it's going to be a long way to become one - that it will take more years than the usual. I always answer 'It's okay. Not even a problem.' Those were the times that studying was so easy for me and those were the times that being a top of the class was a piece of cake. (Yup, I was that kid.)

It wasn't that I love kids that's why I wanted to be one. I was just a kid myself back then so the reason was just not acceptable. I probably didn't know the reason - no sure answer. Maybe it's because I like the idea of being a doctor someday and we all know the general knowledge we know about doctors - they earn good money. (I will be inserting 'NOT ALL' here. So don't hate me.) Maybe it's also because when I answered 'pediatrician' back then, they were like so surprised that I had such a dream. I lot of them anwered back that I am going to nail it and I am going to be successful and rich. I am so proud of myself about it back in the day. Funny isn't it. That the reason is not because the usual answer which is 'I like to help people....' or 'I like to give to take care of them...'.

When I transferred schools and become exposed to so many things, everything changed and I suddenly wanted to become a journalist or writer or any profession that 'writes'. It was because I get to be exposed to writing stuff and putting thoughts and opinions in words. I find it enjoyable to do back in the days and it's quite an accomplishment to write something with more than a hundred words in one sitting. So yeah, I wanted to become one and then it all turned out that I was a bit curious and a tad interested in stage plays and the people behind it. It also went to becoming a movie director, to a cinematographer, to a video editor, to a scriptwriter.... until it became clear to me that maybe something in the list of professions in the media I was meant to be.

I didn't get the chance to do something about it when I was choosing my college course (financial problems, it is). I thought I was going to be contented being a person-making-a-living-in-the-internet until years later it still was that 'media' thing was going on my mind. I wasn't sure if I still want to pursue such a profession or I want to give up. I guess I'm already contented with this blog. I treat this one as the closest thing that I have to the career that I wanted to have and I am happy with it - genuinely happy.