With senior year just around the corner, I’ve started thinking about the major decisions I’m expected to make within the next 12 months. Some of the many of these decisions are where I plan on going to college, what I plan on majoring in and how I plan on using my (very expensive) college education to find a job.

Recently, I’ve started to notice how people in my grade are approaching these decisions in a completely different way than me. Where I am set on going into an atypical field of graphic design, not worried about the outcome of my decision (not finding a job, not making much money, etc.), I’ve noticed too many people saying they want to go into something safe-pharmacy, nursing, engineering- as opposed to something they’re truly interested in to secure their future’s well being. I’m not saying that some people don’t show interest in these fields, but those are what I consider “safe” jobs. I see this as a huge problem.

Though having a secure job and income is obviously important, it’s definitely not more important than happiness. If you go into a field you have no interest in and end up finding a job in that field, how will you get through the day to day of the job? Waking up early to go to a job you hate will end up being harder than you think. Once you find that solid job, it’ll be hard to leave. Once you’re comfortable, you’ll tell yourself it’s good enough. You’ll end up getting used to it and in 50 years, when you’re waiting to retire, you’ll be wondering what could have happened if you did something you actually enjoyed. Don’t sacrifice your own happiness for money.

I think people who go for the atypical fields show confidence, which is what a lot of teens today lack. Telling yourself that you’re not good enough to do what you really want to do isn’t how to determine your major. College is for teaching. No matter how little confidence you have, you’ll be taught how to succeed in whatever field you really want to go into. Don’t settle and take the safe way out, do what you have a passion for.