Wow I just wanted to see if I could remember omg sorry for the novel
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(1-3rd grade) First, I wanted to be a singer/actress combo. Very Hannah Montana inspired. I even made my mom take me to some scammy commercial audition in Philadelphia. Memorized this coco puffs script, and then at the end they just told us I would be a star, only if we signed up for their thousands of dollars of acting classes. LOL.
(3rd-5th grade) Then, I wanted to be a Doctor, a Pediatric Oncologist. My brother had cancer when we were kids, and I’d had medical jargon stuck in my head that I thought would impress adults around me.
(5th-6th grade) Then I had my astronaut phase. That realization that there’s literally nothing cooler. My dad also said he wanted to be an astronaut when he was a kid and I think that inspired this era.
(6-7th grade) Then, kinda major for me, I said I wanted to be an architect at these last day of 5th grade interviews. It was the first thing I could think of that merged art + ‘logistics’ for lack of a better world. And that intersection really intrigued me (foreshadowing).
(8-9th grade) Then, I wanted to be a Magazine Editor. I loved tween mags like Tigerbeat etc, but it was me getting into Vogue - being so inspired by Anna and the world around ‘The September Issue’. Think there was a documentary. My best friend wanted to be a fashion designer. These both came true for us 🥹
(10-12th grade) Then, I wanted to be some kind of corporate business woman. Era of romanticizing the title ‘CEO’.
(First year) Then, and now we’re in college, I wanted to be an ‘international laywer’ crossed with some sort of diplomat. Would have been pretty dope ngl and I loved my degree in IR. But an internship at a law firm turned me off of it and I realized no matter what I a) didn’t want to sit somewhere wishing time away And b) wanted to wear whatever I wanted at work.
(Second year) Then, I remember I told my finsta followers that I wanted to be ‘a creator’ in my career and not have to say anything else. Some sort of Kanye moment of mine.
(Third-Fourth year) Then, another monumental moment was a conscious notion of me saying to people that the career for me was something ‘I don’t know exists yet’. Whatever that era was really worked in my favor, sort of manifested falling into ‘Creative Strategy’ out of college which quite literally, I asked them in my interview what it was.
Loved that gig, am since working across a spectrum of Creative Direction, Production, + Editorial. I think little me would think I was super weird + also be rooting me on 🌹After I’ve wrung out all my creative juices, I also plan to go back to school to become a Therapist in my 60s/70s