The Teenage Book

Questions and Expectations.

Welcome to another chapter, where Cyan is so bored she decided to do a double update.

I got asked The Question today.

"What do you want to do when you're older?"

My response is always the same. I'd like to go to college.

"Well what do you want to go to college for? What do you want for a job?"

I. Don't. Know.

I mean, adults ask this to little kids, and I'm a teenager and I still haven't figured it out!

I mean, I would like to be a writer/marine biologist. The ocean fascinates me, and I've always wanted to work with animals at SeaWorld, or, maybe preferably, the dolphins at Disney World. The ones at EPCOT, in The Seas aquarium? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

But I may not get that job. Demands for jobs like that are high. So what do I do if I go to college for it and end up unable to land my dream job?

Tell me, slightly annoying adult, what do I do then?

I don't HAVE a backup plan.

And besides, when I finally just say "writer and or a marine biologist" they say that's unrealistic.

Story time.

At school, we had this lawyer guy come in, and he talked to us about jobs we wanted.

And this one girl who used to my best friend and is now a brat to me and pretty much everyone said she wanted to be an artist.

Now I simply dislike this girl. But I will admit, she had stunning artistic abilities for someone her age. Especially with Japanese styles. She puts high quality manga to shame.

And you know what this lawyer said?

"That's silly. Think of a realistic career."

And yet a little girl saying she wants to invent a flying car or something is acceptable by adults?

I'd just prefer if they don't ask. Because it seems that whatever we answer. there's always something wrong with it.

"I'd like to be a marine biologist."

"Where will you go to college?"

"Well, I'm thinking of one in California, but-"

"That's stupid, that's practically across the country!"

"I know, that's what I was saying-"

"And besides, how will you get the money for it? And living arrangements?"

And 20 other questions.

Now, I got asked questions like these on our mini career day at school. Nobody else was asked these questions.

I brought it up to my gifted reading (not trying to show off. I'm just saying.) teacher one day. And she said the reason was probably because teachers had higher expectations for me than some other students.

...why?

I'm just a kid from a farm.

I get good grades. I am responsible. I do whatever teachers ask. I do things on time. I respect adults (well, maybe not in my head, but...). I am very mature and yes, possibly very sheltered. I don't understand half the jokes kids my age make, because I/my family wouldn't consider them age appropriate.

I do things that I consider should be normal behavior, even for someone as young as I am.

And others at my school don't do those things.

So just by doing what I think is right, I get a bunch of expectations like knowing EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE just dumped on my shoulders.

I am expected to exceed expectations at everything I do or participate in. Even sports, with my dad being the coach and my sister being a pitching prodigy.

I just wish adults would treat me like others, just for a bit. A barely-teenager who just might now be sure on things in her life or perfect at everything she does. I can take on a lot of responsibility. But gods of Olympus (had to put a PJO/HOO reference somewhere) I can only take so much expectations.

I've talked about it with friends before, they never seem to take me serious. They tell me to just loosen up, be less responsible and respectful so I get lower expectations.

But I don't want that either!

I don't know what I want!

Actually I want a 1,000,000,000 dollars and an indoor pool and a horse but that's irrelevant XD

Meh, I had to rant a bit and get that out.

So, I'm gonna go ahead and ask you all, what is YOUR dream job?

'Cause there's nobody here to judge you and crush the dream. Always stick with your dreams. Ignore the lawyer guys saying it's unrealistic. (:

Cyan out!