Passion > $$$

This weekend I got another pep-talk from my best friend Kristen about my career choice. She's voiced her discontent with my choice of becoming a music journalist more than once, and this time it got me to think. Her argument primarily revolved around the fact that the three of us - Kristen, Annie and I - needed to make major $$$. As if $$$ = happiness. But I don't see it that way. I never really did. I could care less about how much I make, as long as I'm doing something I love, and what I love are music and writing.

Simple. Why can't it be that simple?

To me, it isn't worth it waking up every morning in my 2-story house, and driving in my Range Rover to a job I can't bear to stand. I'd rather wake up every morning in my dingy, tiny apartment, and drive my beat-up hand-me-down car to a job I can't wait to work for. I want that drive, that passion, that love. That's something you can't get with money. Money doesn't mean happiness for me. Happiness means happiness for me. Easy.

But then she brought on another point. What you love to do is meant to be a hobby, not a career.

Why does a passion have to equate to a hobby. Why not make it into a career, which essentially kills two birds with one stone. What if I get so caught up in my dead-end shit job, and never find time to explore my passion? What happens then? I let it slip away? That's not me, that's never been me. I'm not one to be stubborn when it comes to many things, but I am stubborn as fuck when it comes to pursuing what I want - respectfully that is, no stomping and sabatoging of others in the pursuit. I never believed in half-heartedly doing something for the sake of someone else. If you're going to do something, give it your soul. And how can I possibly do that if I'm stuck in a career I despise?

This isn't what my parents necessarily want, though they support me; this isn't what my best friend wants, though she just looking out for me, but with all due respect, this is exactly what I want. To others that may not be enough - not enough of a reason, not enough of an excuse - but since when did we let "others" determine for us as individuals?

Maybe it's just this feeling of going against the current. Or maybe it's just this feeling of liberation. But it feels good. I mean, it feels REAL good. I don't know how many people majoring in BioSci, Business, or Social Science can say they're excited for their future. I'm not placing any judgment, I'm sure there are people majoring in those majors equally as excited I am, but I speak for myself when I say: I wake up every morning bursting at the seams with anticipation and excitment for my future. I love being in college and dipping my hands into everything within my reach. I love thinking about all the courses and opportunities that await me in the next few years. I can't wait to see where I'll be in 4-5 years, because I know I'll be doing something amazing. And all these feeling...they don't come from pursuing a career that makes major bank, in fact, these feelings come from an inner voice that tells me everyday that I'm doing the right thing, and that in 5 years I'll be looking back and thanking myself for making the decisions I made. Can you say the same for yourself?

In respects to the movie 'The Pursuit of Happyness,' I truly do believe that everyone is in pursuit of finding something, and anything that can bring them happiness. For some, like Kristen, that means money, but for me, happiness is passion. And there is no way I'm going to let my firey passion dwindle.

LN LU