“What do I want to be when I grow up?” is arguably the most common question that all kids ask themselves. It's the question that defines people's lives and their goals. It's also what I asked myself as I opened one of the notorious online career quizzes that everyone has taken at some point in time. I had done these types of tests in school before, the ones that come up with a person’s ideal job depending on their answers. It appeared that my classmates all had their own vocation, and I felt miles behind. How is a person supposed to choose one thing to do for the rest of their life? I decided that taking the quiz would help me narrow down my options, and once I knew what I wanted to do with my life I could work towards a successful future. 

Success in school and in extracurricular activities has always been important to me, and that reflects my goal of having an accomplished life as I get older. The small glowing screen on my cell phone interrogated me with seemingly unremarkable inquiries, asking about my hobbies and interests. Sitting on my bedroom floor in the dark of the night, I slowly answered each question on the career quiz, inching towards the end. As I got nearer and nearer, I felt like I was closer than ever to answering all the questions I've had about my future. Anticipation filled my body as I entered the last piece of information, solidifying my place in the world. 

Staring at the submit button in silence, I hesitated to press it. If I didn't get results that matched who I am then where would that leave me? I have always had an idea of what I don't want out of life, but figuring out what I actually want has proven to be more challenging. Everyone says that I have time to decide, that I'm only a teenager and I will know when I'm older. I wondered at that moment if I should live my life based on what the online test told me or if I should let the future write itself. Hitting submit, I waited for the results.

The page seemed to take years to load. I thought that once I received the results, I would know exactly who I'm supposed to be. Each of the questions I answered ran through my mind as I predicted what the test would say. My house was quiet, holding it's breath with me. I watched the loading symbol taunt me, as if it was saying that my future is unknown. The quiz would probably tell me that I'm best suited for a career in business or law, I decided, although I knew that I would not take that advice. My thoughts were conflicted while the screen slowly changed. I didn't know if my desire to find my future was as important as I thought it was. I knew that I have years to figure out my life, but having no goals to work towards scared me. After twenty seconds of mental turmoil that felt more like twenty years, the page finally loaded. 

The quiz spit out results, a whole paragraph about me being hardworking and listing the best careers for me. Reading through the results and having no interest in any of the recommended jobs was slightly disappointing, but it wasn't all for nothing. Taking this online career quiz made me realize that I don't need to have my future figured out yet. I learned that it's alright to slow down and take life one step at a time. When I saw what the quiz believed I would be passionate about, I knew that I wasn't going to decide my future right then and there. My classmates may already know what they want to be, but that doesn’t mean I am behind just because I don't. I put my phone away, and from that day on I understood that I will know what I'm going to be when the time is right.