Ambition, Baby

I work with a gentleman from Africa and, despite having many things in common, he always says I am too “optimistic”. He is a self-proclaimed “pessimist that can’t be bothered with worrying about the future”. He also goes on to tell me (often) that Americans are always concerned with where they are going in life. Last time we talked, he even told me we talked that going to college is a waste. That one raised my eyebrows. He is a very smart guy (he fluently speaks five languages) with great work ethic and says he would never go to college.

Now I, for those of you who do not know me personally, love school. I have loved learning in an academic setting since I started kindergarten and have not stopped. I am starting my final year in my undergraduate studies and cannot wait to start my masters program and, then, my PhD. So needless to say, his comment about school being a waste took me aback.

I asked him to proceed with his argument and he went on to tell me that you can go to school for years and rack up so many student loans, while never being sure that you will obtain the job you want in the long run. “You may just end up back here as a server like me, after you get your degree”, were his exact words.

Now in this country, with our state of employment, he may be correct. But I have a hard time dealing with that. In my mind, I would rather prepare myself for a job that I want, rather than not trying at all for fear of failure. And isn’t this how most major life decisions are made? We weigh the pros and the cons, sometimes even making a physical list, when we all know what we will do anyway.

For example, I had a fairly important life change when I first moved to Maryland and was faced with the decision to stay in Maryland or move back home to Kansas. I thought about it, made pro/con lists, talked with my support group and looked at my finances. After all of that, I made the decision that I was originally planning to make: stay in Maryland. Sure, I didn’t have a well-paying job or a degree or any family out here to support me. But I took that chance because I knew that I would rather try and have the possibility of success or failure rather than telling myself I couldn’t make it, no matter what. Now, three years later, I have a better job, I’m much closer to getting my degree and I have an incredible support system here. Thinking that I could have missed out on the opportunities that I have had and not met the wonderful people I have met and now love, it makes me so sad.

I may not be able to get a top-paying job right out of college, but that is not going to stop me from trying and pushing and continuing my life. My friends, do not ever let pessimism, fear of the unknown or discomfort stop you from following your dreams. You can do it and the ride along the way is really the part that you don’t want to miss out on.

-Ann Marie

Advertisement