Dream Job

What’s your dream job?

As a kid, I always wanted to be a singer and held onto that desire for many years into adulthood. I dreamed of it and would sing in front of the mirror holding a hairbrush, pretending it was a microphone., Those were the days before singing contests like American Idol or The Voice and even before karaoke machines. (Maybe they existed but I had never heard of them in my small town where I lived.) I did every singing opportunity throughout school that I could, joining the chorus, musicals, and our small group called The Minstrels. I did singing state competitions and also was selected to sing in a three state vocal event with high schoolers from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. I entered county fair performing events and also sang at weddings and at church. Singing was a passion and my dream job for many years.

As a first generation college student during a time when academic advising was not professionalized as it is now, I didn’t have the guidance I needed to pursue it. I listened to the outside noise about how hard it was to make it, and how difficult the music program at the university was. When I told people I wanted to study Music, they always said or assumed that I wanted to be a music teacher. Or they would encourage me to get a teaching certificate “to fall back on.” But I wanted to perform. When I entered the university, I let those voices influence me so I was “undecided” and didn’t take a single music course. I only sang when I played my guitar.

When you’re passionate about a subject, that’s a sign that it’s something you should pursue. I was very passionate about singing and music in general, but also had other interests and eventually ended up in a very rewarding career in international education. I loved working with college students and with people from all over the world. I loved my study abroad experiences and loved seeing students take that leap to explore the world. I am happy with the career I ended up pursuing but deep down, I often wondered what would have become of me had I pursued my dream job of singing. I have no regrets, but it is fun to imagine a career in singing. I used to say to people, “Don’t be surprised if you see me out there dropping everything here and performing when I’m 60.”

The lesson in all of this is to listen to your passions. Follow your dreams and don’t listen to the outside noise convince you otherwise not to pursue that dream job.