Five Years from Now…Where Will You Be?

Five Years from Now…Where Will You Be?

Blog Post 33 - Photo 1

Last week, my UNIV 102 professor asked us to ‘journal’ on the topic, “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” As I started writing, I caught myself by surprise, because I tend to be an almost obsessive planner, my days scheduled down to the hour and my life dictated by Post-It Notes™. Yet, suddenly, I didn’t know where to start. I googled the question hoping to find a forum, or website of some sort, that could teach me how-to come up with a list of long term goals. Instead, I found a myriad of career advice on how to answer the five-year-from-now question, warning that it is bound to come up in a job interview. Though this wasn’t what I was initially looking for, I read several of the articles, hoping to learn something new.

According to a U.S. News and World Report article, a good answer would be “In five years, I’d love to have increased my skill level enough that I’m able to train others how to do this work. I love this work, and I’ve found that I really enjoy mentoring colleagues, so I’d be thrilled to be able to combine the two—continuing to work in a role like this one, but with a training or mentoring component to it.” According to a different Business Insider report, employers are looking for six characteristics: thoughtful, driven but realistic, having a good work ethic, loyal, committed, and passionate.

However, going back to the original question, up until the end of this past winter break, I had known what my general future plans were since sophomore year in high school. I was set. I knew where I was headed and had a well-thought-out plan for how to get there.  Well, as they say, plans change, and this semester, for me, they did. Although not having a concrete plan makes me anxious, I have been told by wise professors that college is a time to figure everything out. Some things you will love, others you will not. I still have friends who have no idea what major they will choose, and I am enjoying the ‘room for surprise’ that is allowed by my new pliant outlook on life.  To be completely honest, at this point in time, I don’t even know what my plans are for this coming summer, let alone where I see myself in five years.

 

Image from: http://achievepace.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/goal11.gif

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