When dreams do (or don’t) come true, what will you do?

Each year, the days and weeks surrounding graduation serve as a time to reflect.  For our Hofstra seniors, you may be thinking about who you were when you began your studies at Hofstra and comparing those feelings and goals to the ones you have now.  Some of you may be right on the same trajectory, whilst others’ journeys took some turns along the way to get to where you are.  We know that not everyone ends up pursuing the career path they always dreamed they would; a couple weeks ago, I read this article where a photography student in India captured beautifully the contrast between people’s dream jobs and the occupations they now hold.  When shift happens, as it often does, how do we look back on those dreams and try to keep them alive?

When we work with students here at the Career Center, oftentimes a question we ask is “if there were no barriers, what would be your dream career?”  The answers we hear vary, as you may expect, but it’s in those answers where we can start to talk about what you would truly value in a career, even if it’s not what you thought it was. Think about what you thought you wanted to be; how close is it to what you’re currently or thinking of pursuing? If your answer is “No,” are there elements of that dream that are evident in what you’re doing now either professionally or personally? We find that the answer moves a lot closer to the “Yes” column; even though we may not achieve that goal professionally in the way we thought, we still retain some aspect in our lives because it brings us fulfillment.

I’ll play; when I was younger, I wanted to be a baseball player – more specifically the first baseman (basewoman?) for the New York Yankees.  That didn’t happen for me (though I’d love for you to picture me writing this blog from the clubhouse), but baseball is still a huge part of my life.  In fact, if I weren’t in the role I have now, I would probably be trying to work in baseball in some capacity in scouting, recruitment, or statistics.  The elements of teamwork, leadership, and determination that are prevalent in a career in professional sports are the same characteristics that help me succeed in my role here at Hofstra – I encourage you to think of what those traits are for you!

No matter how closely related (or not) they are, if you’d like to talk about how your dream can be part of your reality, come visit us. This is true even if you’re graduating come the 21^st; you will still have access to Career Center services for a year post-graduation.

Dream on,
Amy

Amy Smith, Associate Director of External Relations