At this time of the year—the beginning of the spring semester—many upperclassmen find themselves struggling with the notion that their high school careers may be coming to an end. This prompts in every relative the dreaded question: “what are you going to do after high school?”
For students in the 21st century, this question becomes harder and harder to answer. According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, “from 2006 to 2015, bachelor’s degrees in the STEM fields rose from 22 percent of the baccalaureate degrees awarded to 30 percent of the total – the highest level since detailed national record-keeping began in 1987.” The growing trend is not for no reason. As careers get taken over by AI and cost of living skyrockets, the choice between passion and stability is a choice many are sadly forced to make. Is it worth it to take a less stable career if it makes you happy?
Best of Both Worlds
While arts and STEM may seem like polar opposites, some students try and find careers with the best of both worlds. Eleanor Bradford (‘26) is interested in becoming a speech pathologist. “It’s a science that involves the way that the brain works and the way that we interact with each other as humans—that’s where that humanities aspect comes in.” She will always be a creative at heart, but feels satisfied that this career would merge all the things that interest her, like “psychology [and] ASL. I do voice stuff, so that also has a big factor in the speech aspect. I think it’s a good choice for me because it combines a lot of the things that I love.”
A Difficult Choice
Many students, though, feel strongly one way or another. Colin Gillette (‘25) plans on pursuing medicine. “I’m thinking about going to undergrad, and then med school. I would preferably like to do something in emergency medicine or as an expedition doctor. Something fast paced.” In his free time, though, he is just as invested in the arts. “Mainly I find free time to do things that I like that are creative. I play guitar and piano, and just do things I find fun.” He said that though he loves the arts, he would bore trying to make a career out of it. Any artist will tell you that making art is an exhaustive labor, so Gillette’s plan of having a STEM career supplemented by finding moments of creativity in one’s free time sounds perfectly balanced.
Grayson Rebello (‘25), on the other hand, is an active participant in Amador drama programs and intends to pursue it professionally after high school. He says that he has never considered any other option than the arts. “I feel like if I ever had another career, it would still be in making some form of art. I think that there is value in sticking to what you’re good at, instead of something safe because it’s safe. What I’m good at is art.” He believes that passion is more valuable than money or security, which is a sentiment many upperclassmen preparing to leave for bigger and better things share.
What Are You Meant For?
Finding what one is meant to do is a powerful thing. When all the pieces of who you are finally coalesce into something you can do for the rest of your life, there is no greater joy. Whatever the future holds for careers, people will find what makes them happy. And that, no money can buy.
