Follow Your Heart

April has always been a significant and busy month for me. It’s the last full month of classes before exams, it’s my birthday month, its Autism Awareness Month, AND it’s also been exactly four years ago that I decided my major. By the time I was a senior in high school I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after I graduated. I just felt clueless and did not feel like I had a passion for anything. I considered majoring in Photography or Early Childhood Education but I didn’t feel like I had enough passion for either of them. I was stuck for a long time.

I have a cousin who has autism and quite a few people always told me that I was really good with her at I was growing up, but I did not think much else of it. It was right before the spring break of my senior year I noticed that I kept seeing autism everywhere I looked, and I would just feel something in my heart about it. I couldn't describe it, but I just had so much passion about autism and wanted to create awareness about it to the whole world! It was then I realized that I wanted to go to school to become a special education teacher. I have seen my cousin improve and come such a long way through her schooling since her diagnosis of autism so this has inspired me to want to help other children, who have autism, in the same way. I see so much potential in children who have autism (and any other “disability” for that matter). I fully believe that students with disabilities can achieve a great deal with the right guidance. I want to be one who makes a difference in someone's life and helps to give families hope.

Now you may be wondering why I just told you all of that and how in the world it relates to you. Well…I know I’m not the only one who has felt clueless or unsure of my major and I wanted to reassure those who are currently in the same boat that I was. So if you’re still not sure “what you want to do when you grow up” then I just wanted to let you know that 1. You’re not alone. I felt like it took me F-O-R-E-V-E-R to decide what I wanted to go to school for. I was lucky my dad was always very encouraging and I’m very thankful to have a very supportive and patient father. I honestly never dreamed that I would want to be a teacher one day, let alone a special education teacher. There may be some tough days but at the end of each day I know special education is where my heart is.

 If there is one piece of advice I can give you when it comes to choosing your major then all I can say is follow your heart. It may be cliché but I say that because you won’t be happy otherwise. Don’t major in something just because your parents want you to, or your best friend is majoring in it, or for the money. Find something you are truly passionate about and go for it! As a warning: Just because you love something doesn’t mean it will be the easiest road to take. But I can guarantee you that all of your hard work will be worth it in the end. Just remember no matter what you decide to do with your life that: “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…”