Planning: For Better or Worse

Hearing the stories of Dr. Julia Felippe and Dr. Andre Kessler was incredibly inspiring. Neither of them planned to end up at Cornell, or even in the United States; in fact, there was a time in which Dr. Kessler never thought leaving East Germany was possible. Their account of how they pursued a passion, wherever it took them, to end up doing what they love really resonated with me. I know what my passion is, but I have no idea where I want to end up with it. Following their advice and simply taking opportunities that allow me to experience what I love is guaranteed to be enlightening and could even redirect my future career entirely. However, one of the things that Dr. Kessler said about planning really stuck with me. He said that his plan to study biology was what kept him from joining the military, but that his goals changed throughout his life based on his work. He also mentioned that what he learned outside of college was perhaps more beneficial to determining where he ultimately ended up. I realized that I was placing so much pressure on myself to take certain courses to prepare myself for a specific future, however I am not certain I want that future. I will be more open to taking internships and experiencing different fields related to my interests in the future so that I can be sure to find the one that I enjoy the most, whatever it may be. It is important to have a general plan, but I should not be restricting myself.

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