Why I love job hunting and why I majored in art

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IndyStar Newspaper Classifieds

I really do love job hunting and always have. There is something so fun to me about looking through the newspaper classifieds in search of my next job (even when I am not actively looking for employment), seeing all sorts of fun things people can do for work like becoming a salesman, an advertiser, bus driver, teacher, CDL driver (though I’m not really interested in that thanks to my dad), real estate agent, lawyer, receptionist, daycare provider, factory laborer, painter, engineer, nurse, custodian, roofer, movie extra, food chain manager, newspaper carrier (been there, done that one!), graphic designer, telemarketer, dental hygienist, and more!

IndyStar Newspaper Classifieds

While many I pass over because either I am uninterested or unqualified, there are many that I sit and fantasize about doing part-time or full-time. I wonder what it would be like to work with certain materials or people. I see myself being awesome and succeeding at each of them, and then think about my weaknesses and insecurities and how I may end up being horrible at the exact same ones! I try to see where it might lead in the future, what doors and opportunities it may open down the road, what skills and abilities I might learn and foster from working there. And of course, I think about the sweet money that could be had!

Job hunting is fun because you get to look into so many different venues, work places, and careers. You get to envision yourself as some sort of awesome business person, leading and directing groups of people, moving forward a cause, or making a difference in someone’s life. Seriously, the sky is the limit as to what things you can do for a job.

I know that I have a bachelor’s degree which states that I am knowledgeable in a certain area (art) and would be a good candidate to work in that specific industry, but I like learning new things, and each job offers some new training and skill-set.

It took me two years to officially declare a major at BYU. I just couldn’t make up my mind. I am a smart individual who knows how to study and how to work hard and have several talents. While I was (and am) certain of certain occupational fields that I did not want to pursue (like healthcare and science/engineering), I still had a wide range of other interests. What I wanted to do fluctuated almost semesterly, though sometimes with a small degree of variance. The sad thing is that this future career indecision happened throughout my childhood. I have never known with surety what I want “to be when I grow up.”

I started BYU thinking I might pursue music, playing French horn in awesome symphonies, or teaching music to high school students. But, that dream died that first semester when I realized I just wasn’t that great at playing horn compared to others who had taken years of private lessons already and just seemed to have a natural talent for it (and were dedicated to practicing hours each week). I had to work my butt off to be decent at horn playing. Musical talent isn’t super strong in my family. I was kind of the oddball in my family (of 9 kids) who did band.

After that I think I fantasized about receiving an Art History degree so I could become a curator or restore old paintings. But, that died too when I realized how many boring art history courses I would have to take as well as the limited number of jobs open in such a niche field/major.

After that there may have been a short stint where I thought about doing a political history/political science degree, mostly because I loved the American Heritage class at BYU. But, I thought I may not like all the theory and literature as I went on in that degree, nor was I certain exactly what you did with such a degree.

I from time to time briefly thought about a degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development, because, well, I figured someday I would be a married, have a child, and need to know how those children developed. But, after a semester taking a Human Development course and getting an 80%, my lowest grade in several years, I decided maybe it wasn’t for me.

Of course I always loved all of my required religion classes and thought about pursuing that as a degree, but BYU doesn’t really offer that as a major. So, I just took as many of the classes as I could during my time there.

For two years, I explored, I prayed, I fasted, I cried, I talked to my roommates, I talked to my friends and family, and prayed a lot more to figure out what I should major in! I didn’t want to major in the “wrong thing.” I wanted to select a major in which it would not only benefit and enrich myself, but also my future life, my future family, and future individuals. I wanted to major in something that would be pleasing to God. I wanted to make sure it was according to His will for me.

I remember clearly when I received my answer. It was a Sunday, during a Relief Society lesson at church. I don’t remember exactly what we were talking about, though I think it had to do with receiving answers to prayers. As people were talking and discussing, I remember receiving the distinct feeling that God would support me in doing whatever I wanted to do! Apparently it didn’t matter to Him in “the big picture” what I majored in. He would support whatever decision I made. He trusted me. All I had to do was choose!

It was wonderful to receive an answer after all this time and all my worry, but it wasn’t exactly what I had been hoping to receive as an answer: I wanted it cut and dry! But, I decided that since my answer was nondescript, that I just had to get on the ball and figure it out. I decided that since I was talented in art, had been doing it for years, and loved it, that I would apply to the art program, with an emphasis in photography as my first choice, and art education as my second.

As I was applying to the art program, I took an Intro Communications class and was thinking of pursuing an advertising degree in case I didn’t get in. Well, that or maybe trying to get into the Marriot School of Business, though I had a few per-requites still to take before I could apply, as well as stiff competition once I did.

But, shortly before the semester ended I received a letter in the mail saying I had been accepted into the Art Education program!! I was so excited! Art education! I had a major! And I was very happy about it. I would be an art teacher!

While I fully intended to graduate with a degree in Art education and teach art, I ended up getting married my first semester in the program, and my plans changed as we decided to have a baby, and then some more after we found out we were expecting twins, due to arrive by the end of my second year in the program. We decided it would be best to switch emphasis from art education to studio arts because it would mean I could graduate sooner. This was important since my husband was graduating from his college program at the same time we were expecting our twins to arrive. With me done (minus two GE courses I could finish via Independent Study, which I did), we would be free to go wherever my husband found employment and I could take care of my children full-time instead of having to figure out who would watch our children while I student taught and Josh worked. Also, since I was planning on staying home with my girls after their birth, keeping up with state licensure (and we planned to leave Utah, which, we did), and so on and so forth, could be a pain. We figured, if I wanted to teach someday, I could get certified when the time arrived.

Well, I did indeed graduate BYU with a bachelor’s in Visual Arts: Studio Arts. And, according to God, that’s just fine. While I don’t use my degree to teach art lessons or elementary school children, and only occasionally make, and sell original artworks, I have a degree. I graduated. And that says a lot. I’m a first generation college student, and the third of my siblings to get a bachelors. But, I don’t feel like I need to allege my future to this degree. I can do whatever I feel is right (via prayer) for me, my family, and our situation.

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And so, my story of indecisive answers to “What do you want to be when you grow up?” continues to be a core part of me. I still don’t know. In fact, I may never fully commit to a career, a job. And that may be okay with me, because I love job hunting.