This is an opinion article. Any views expressed belong solely to the author and are not representative of The Cluster.
Doctor, engineer, lawyer, photographer… Do any of these careers feel out of place to you?
In our society, there has been a long-lasting idea that pursuing an artistic, non-traditional career will typically end poorly, often only being worth the effort when you’re in the top 1% of the creative industry.
However, this isn’t completely true.
Many people think that going into a corporate career is a safer, economically friendlier path than becoming a musician or an actor, which in most cases very much is. Most people, in fact, rely on the benefits those jobs offer such as health and disability insurance, retirement plans, paid time off or even tuition and student loan assistance for those attempting to pay for their college.
While corporate careers might seem enticing for those reasons, this doesn’t mean you should count out creative careers, considering there are still plenty of people involved in the arts, design, media and publishing industries that are still able to live their lives and do what they love as well.
It is definitely possible to be successful and have a creative career that makes you happy. If you’re willing to put in 110% effort and actually believe in yourself, you can still reach your goals even for those who work long hours as a student and as a worker.
For me personally, I grew up in a proud household that often pushed me towards a more guided path to become a doctor since it was considered a more "respectable" career, and I was well-rounded enough to handle the workload. But as I grew older, I realized that I shouldn’t make my life all about medicine and that I should truly consider if this was the right career path for me.
I have always had a passion for filmmaking and wondered what would happen if I reached out and pursued it more seriously. When I did, I found that I really enjoyed it, but I also found that I missed studying science. That’s why I decided to continue studying medicine.
Because I chose to take the time to think about and reach out for my goals early in my life, I was able to figure out what I wanted. This is why I think creative careers are still worth anyone’s time.
In all truth, working towards a creative career is by far not guaranteed to be an easy lifestyle. It will force you to work hard to support your dreams. Right now, I work three jobs to support myself while also surviving as a pre-med student, so I still barely can find the time to brush up on my videographer skills.
In the end, I think we should find a job that does make us excited to wake up in the morning no matter if it is corporate or creative. When you set your mind to it, you can accomplish what you want to accomplish and live the life that you want to set for yourself.
You should make your passion your priority now while you’re still setting up your future career. Don’t let anyone else limit your potential and make a choice that will make you.
