Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Is Your Career Worth it?


     As Marilyn Monroe once said, “A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night.” A lot of people are deeply consumed with their work or school and forgets about their outside life. As a current AP student, school is my top priority but having an active social life is important also.

     As a high school student wanting to succeed, colleges not only look for a student that had a 4.0 all four years of high school, but an active 4.0 student that was involved in extracurricular activities in school and out of school. Colleges want a well rounded student that’s smart and active. In college there’s going to be a lot going on and they want to make sure that you can keep up with your grades and all the other things that go on during college without falling behind.

     In distinct careers it’s hard to have a social life. Actors, doctors, lawyers all have a hard time finding time to spend with their family and friends. Certain actors and actresses private lives are publicly announced to the world. Not only can they not have a regular social life with the paparazzi or frenzied fans, but their private life simply isn’t private. Doctors have it a little better since their social lives are not publicized but that’s only if they have a normal social life. They could be on call all hours of the night and might not be able to go on that second date with the guy they met at the book store or to their grandmother’s 87th birthday. Even though these jobs take up a lot of time from your social life, they are well worth if it’s their passion and love for the job they do.

     Family is very important and a necessity for everyone. As Marilyn said, a career is great but not having anyone to talk to it about after it’s all said and done isn’t that great. Some people in today’s society work so hard to provide shelter and food for their family that they don’t always have time to watch a movie with their children after work or anything of that sort. The feeling of knowing that your family is there for you no matter how much time you spend with them on a daily basis is reassuring. Some people like Marilyn Monroe feels that their career is so time consuming and they don’t necessarily have the time they want to spend with their family and friends like others already have.

9 comments:

  1. You make some really solid points here. Often our society encourages life-engulfing career paths, and those who have a propensity for throwing their whole selves into their work are revered for it or see lofty benefits of success (most often financially). But many of us don't always recognise the negative implications of a busy career; it really can take a huge toll on family and personal well-being.
    No, immersing yourself into your work isn't always a bad thing... but it shouldn't be seen as the only option. This quote should help people realise that it's okay not to encumber yourself with your professional life so much that you can't enjoy yourself. It only makes us human--happier, healthier, human. And that's understandable.

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  2. I absolutely love this quote, and Marilyn ! :)
    Finding time for family, friends, and even ourselves seems to be a challenge that's getting harder to accomplish more and more in society. We sometimes get wrapped up in what we need to do in preparation for our futures that we lose sight of the importance of spending quality time with those we love and care about. Of course it's not always easy, since we can be faced with the obstacles of busy schedules and what not. But, if we could seize each opportunity we get to spend time with our families or friends, then it would definitely benefit us all :)

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  3. Well, this is an interesting blog. This gives people, mostly those who grieve to succeed, a chance to see the future. Yes, having a career is important, but there is something much greater than a career and that would be people that makes you happy.

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  4. Good quote to choose for this time of year with all the exams and college prep. :) You are most certainly right; i find myself recently putting school before family and not spending enough time for quality family time. I love how you make the point that eventhough you may find a sucessful job in life having no one to talk to isn't worth it. This is a very important aspect of life; not just having a career but people to spend those joyous times with.

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  5. During this time a year in high school it really does seem like students who hope to succeed are spending far more time studying or doing homework than spending time with family or friends. But even though not being able to do those things as regularly as before it's worth it in the end when you get to work in the field that you truly love. So sacrificing a couple of days of your social calender isn't that big of a deal in the long run.

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  7. Constantly this year I have been asked where my ambition and motivation to strive and do well in school come from, or what is my biggest source of encouragement. This quote would definitely be one that I would put up in my room to remind me everyday that the answer to those questions is my family. I honestly believe that without family or friends behind us every step of the way our outcome wouldn't turn out as sweet.
    I love how you portrayed this quote and your response this time around. Our future career is important and isn't something we should over look but the comfort and support of our loved ones isn't either. (:

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  8. What you claim is so true! It's actually an incessant worry that has been buzzing in the back of my mind. I want a job that I love however, I want to spend time with my future family as well and not neglect them. Life is unfair and all we can do is choose what means more to us. Nice post Madea ;)

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  9. It really is hard to be the perfect well-rounded student! It's very rare int eh 21st century to find the perfect child; one is either were social and not the smartest, or the other is anti-social yet extremely intelligent. Then there are the kids in between. Those between kids exhibit the above average yet not super intelligent work ethic that is just good enough to get into the college of their dreams.

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