The Million Dollar Question

The Million Dollar Question

By: Kelsey Wray

Most children see 22 as old, a big person, grown up or adult. Most adults see 22 as a child, a blank canvas with all the time in the world as well as chance to create whatever they want in life. I see 22 as a ticking time bomb, no time to waste with the pressure to decide right now what it is you want be as an adult.

As I continue to get closer and closer to that dreaded graduation date, I am continuously forced to answer the million dollar question, "What is it that I want to do after graduation?" I have always liked to think of myself as the girl with a plan. I have tried to avoid the feeling of doubt and uncertainty by figuring out what it is that I want to do with my professional life ever since I began my first day of college. Three different majors and 4 1/2 years later I continue to re-evaluate what I've learned over the years in specifically the PR field and every day I've been trying to incorporate that knowledge into my goals and dreams. Like most people, I have dreams but as far as visualizing my dream job goes, it's a bit fuzzy.

In every PR class that I have taken, the importance of applying for and doing internships has always been stressed. It is within these experiences that we shall learn the "on the job training" as well as figure out what it is that we want to specialize in and pursue. I have had many internships. I have been given several opportunities to work for what I considered cool companies. Over the past few summers I was blessed with the opportunities to work in New York and Los Angeles. In New York I worked for Potomac Hudson Media, a prestigious PR firm, where I just knew I would have all my questions answered. It was such a positive and interesting internship, but I left the experience knowing what I did not want to do rather than knowing exactly what it was that I did want to do.

I continued pick the brain's of several PR professionals. The general consensus that they kept telling me was that soon all of my don'ts would narrow down and lead to my do's, which will then reveal my passion or the thing that I have been searching for all along. I took the advice and began to apply for more future internships.

Last summer I got a job to intern for KLW Entertainment, a talent management company based in Los Angeles. This was by far one of my favorite internship/job opportunities I've had. Every day the tasks would change and be filled with something new and exciting for me to do. Even the days that were still very fast-paced but considered "slower" were entertaining. I loved it! However realistically, I did not see a passion/future for me in becoming a talent manager for actors and actresses. Though I did discover that I have a major passion for something in the entertainment industry. Again though, that is something....nothing specific in terms of what I want to specialize in or which path I should take.

One day I was speaking with one of my best friend's aunts aka "Aunt Pam." We were both discussing with her that after these different experiences we've had, we still have no clue what career path we would like to choose. I then was asked a very important question. Aunt Pam asked us, "If you could do anything in the world and be guaranteed that you will succeed and not fail, what is it that you would like to do?" As simple and as silly as this question sounds, it transformed my muddled career thoughts into clarity. It hit me like a ton of bricks! I want to be an entertainment television anchor and one day for ET aka Entertainment Tonight or E! News. It incorporates all of my interests in one from fashion to entertainment etc.

So even if your an adult, I challenge you to ask yourself that magical question. Most adults see 22 as a child, a blank canvas with the time and chance to create whatever they want in life. After all, in today's world 40 is the new 20!

"If you could do anything in the world and be guaranteed that you will succeed and not fail, what is it that you would like to do?"