Oftentimes, there is a stark difference between what people wanted to be when they were younger and the career path they follow as adults. It is important to analyze the discrepancy between the two to get insight into the pressures of society, the state of the modern job market and the effects of higher education.

From firefighters to princesses, every child has a dream of what they want to be when they are older. However, as nap time turns to late-night library sessions, and kids grow up, their goals and aspirations tend to grow with them.  

“I spent my first five years in a village in southern Germany… so I very much wanted to be a tractor driver,” said Dr. Julian Knox, associate professor of the Department of English.  

However, after moving to the United States and feeling pressured to conform to American culture, Knox’s ideas of the future began to shift. 

“My career as a professor is not in line with being a tractor driver; however, I do keep a garden,” Knox said. “I still have hopes of owning a tractor, or at least a sit-down mower.”

The shift from wanting to be a tractor driver to an educator is no small jump, and so Knox elaborated that he became an English and German double major during his college career, and fell in love with Romanticism in Literature during these pursuits. 

His love of literature made Knox realize that he wanted to spend his entire life in the field, sharing the gift with others and giving back to the higher-education community. At the same time, giving tours at his local art museum solidified Knox’s love of discussing creative media. 

While it may seem like his previous career goals and his current path are completely antithetical, Knox’s insights highlight the common thread between the two: connection to his home culture. 

Knox’s insights provide a glimpse into the idea that although individuals may not exactly pursue their childhood dreams, their youthful ambitions may still be a driving force in their mature ones. 

“I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was little,” said Scarlett Cueto, a sophomore English major.

As an English major, Cueto may not appear to be pursuing her once-idealized path. However, now, she wants to write for fashion magazines.

Cueto, like Knox, managed to expand in some way upon a variation of her younger self’s dreams. She added that she changed her specific goals when she realized she could not draw, but that she’d be happy to write for fashion instead. 

“I wanted to be a cowgirl or a teacher,” said Kate Mikell, a freshman English major and equestrian athlete.  

As a GCSU student, Mikell leads ecology field trips for elementary schools. 

“I’ll hopefully use my degree for further education, whether that’s as a professor or something a little more creative like a program curator for a library,” Mikell said.

Mikell is thrilled with her current career trajectory and believes her modern goals are an extension of her juvenile ones. 

Not all people, however, have such a clear development of career aspirations. Assistant Director of Leadership Programs, Chelsey Brantley, has a different story.

Brantley explained that while she initially wanted to be a librarian, she decided to go into the medical field due to pressure to impress her parents. She studied biology and pre-med, but felt unfulfilled, switching her major many times before she finally re-discovered her passion for English.

“Eventually, I landed a job that involved supervising and mentoring college students and quickly realized how much I enjoyed it,” Brantley said. “From that moment on, I knew I wanted to work with students—whether in high school or college.”

After considering whether she believes her current job is at all similar to her childhood dreams, Brantley stated that she was able to see the similarity between being a librarian and her current career. Both involve providing people with education and information and the constant pursuit of knowledge and critical analysis of many sources.

Brantley elaborated that she has also surprised herself with her current career, as being a naturally introverted child does not often translate well into teaching. 

“While it’s different from what I once envisioned, I love working with students and the impact I get to have,” Brantley said. “Ultimately, I pursued this path because I believe deeply in the work we do: preparing students to be citizen leaders in their communities.”

She concluded that while her childhood self may be surprised by her seemingly complex job title, she would be elated. Despite a complex, non-linear career path, she believes that she has ended up in the perfect position. 

Kerry James Evans, assistant professor of English and Poetry Editor, detailed his experiences. 

“Like many kids in the eighties, I first wanted to be an astronaut, then a fighter pilot, then a coach,” Evans said.

His sporting dreams were short-lived, however, when he discovered poetry around the eighth grade.

“I’ve had the most amazing English teachers throughout my life, and as I grew up, I realized that all I’ve been given wasn’t only for me, but so that I might pass on even a little of what was shared with me,” Evans said. “So, I didn’t always know that I wanted to be a professor, but looking back, it seems my life was building toward it all the time.”

He also concluded that although his current career is slightly different from what his childhood self imagined, it may not be a complete diversion. 

“In many ways, being a poet and professor shares similarities with coaching—working with talented human beings who are incredibly skilled at their trade.” 

In regards to his younger self, he happily declared: “I think he’d be thrilled.”

It is easy to become caught up in the pressures of five-year plans, job applications, and general societal pressure to be entirely certain about the future. However, despite all deviating from their original career path plans, each GCSU student and professor is on a career journey that they love.