“We are in such a work-based society,” my sociology professor mentioned one Monday afternoon.
I looked up to him and nodded. My eyes widened, realizing that everyone seems to be so ingrained in their work to the point of burnout.
It feels like everyone around me tries to climb some form of ladder. At school, people constantly talk about scoring the best internships with big corporations. When I was completing my summer internship, my colleagues kept on telling me how badly they wanted another position, how they thought that if I started as an intern, I would then one day become a manager – assuming I played my cards right.
However, as someone who navigated a non-linear path, I knew that results, based on effort, weren’t guaranteed.
I used to be the type of person who was solely focused on my career. At times, I tried out multiple fields, worked multiple jobs, and took plenty of courses. I was so hard on myself, just because I couldn’t score the internship I wanted, or achieve the results that I wanted.
I remember asking myself, “What am I doing wrong?” and wondering, “How come I’m not doing anything better?”
The pressure was intense. So, I decided to plan a weekend getaway to ignore all of it. Then, every weekend, I took trips around small towns near my city. They brought me a sense of renewal. As I traveled back home, I finally realized something.
Nothing in life mattered more than my true passions.
I reevaluated my life and asked myself what I was truly passionate about. I wanted to travel, explore new places, make crafts, and listen to metal music.
And after that, I realized the reality of growing up. As people venture off into university or college, they forget about their childhood hobbies. They get too busy in the midst of adult life. Soon enough, bill payments, mortgages, financial statements, and stocks become the hot topics.
But for me, it’s more important to return to my own true passions.
So I went to metal concerts and explored the city more. As I felt more fulfilled, life became less stressful and more fulfilled. I felt a sense of renewal, realizing that interests and hobbies matter much more than my grades and my internships.
To everyone feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life, remember: your work isn’t everything.
There’s more to explore in life: more places to visit, crafts to do, and songs to listen to. In the end, life’s about finding what activities resonate with you and speak to your heart.
Photo by Anton Malanin on Unsplash
