Overcoming the Feeling of Inadequacy About My Career Aspirations

Here at Holy Cross, I find myself surrounded by female friends who are on the business, pre-med, or economics tracks. They often tell me about their grueling labs and lofty aspirations to work in the corporate world or become a brain surgeon. 

I have so much admiration for these girls and being surrounded by such ambitious, driven women definitely helps me to be my best. However, I can’t help but sometimes find myself feeling inadequate about my own career aspirations. I want to be a kindergarten teacher;  I am not a STEM queen or a business girlboss. I often get self-conscious about people perceiving me as lesser than other majors/careers, worried that they view early education as simply rainbow-print t-shirts and sunshiney classroom posters.

 I want to walk into the Paper Store and relate to the desk plaques and mugs that say #girlboss, #stemgirlie, but I can’t, and it can be a huge source of insecurity for me. But, I’ve started to realize that I am not inadequate just because my passions and skill sets are different from others.

 I will most likely work in public schools for my foreseeable adult career. I won’t be in a glittering Boston skyscraper with the corner office, strutting in a pantsuit. But that doesn’t make my career any less high-powered or “girlboss.” I will empower children by equipping them with the literacy and social-emotional skills they will need throughout their entire lives. Now that definitely doesn’t make me any less driven, impressive, powerful. 

This is a message to any other girls reading this who are feeling inadequate about their career choices-knowing your passion and pursuing it is never something to be ashamed of. Be proud of your passions, whatever they may be, and surround yourself with people who support you and see the value and legitimacy of your goals!

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