With college not too far away, some students seem to have their whole lives mapped out, while others still feel confused. Yet all students are faced with the same troubling question of what career path they plan on pursuing in the future. This difficult decision is frequently complicated by outside pressures and expectations. Career Day gives students an insight into different occupations in order to gain a greater understanding of their personal interests.

The majority of students still remain uncertain about their future. Sophomore Justyne Buenaventura expressed her ongoing puzzlement, “I do not know what career path I want to pursue in the future and this makes me feel unprepared. My family members are either in the medical [and engineering] field, so I feel [pressured] to choose one of those jobs.”

Like her, many students feel influenced by family expectations. “Most parents want their children to pursue a ‘safe’ career, as in one that is guaranteed to make money, the classic doctor, lawyer, etc,” junior Emily Tan said.

Freshman Juney Liu expressed the concern of her uncertainty alongside her peers who seem to have it all figured out. “I don’t necessarily feel pressure to go towards a certain career path, although I am worried about not knowing what I want to do in the future, as I have asked many of my other classmates and friends and they at least know which direction they want to work towards,” she said.

With this, many students like junior Kelvin Yip see the benefits of Career Day. “I think just getting to network and meet professionals in fields you may want to work in is valuable. You can learn about what the environment is like and whether it may be a good fit,” he said.

Senior Vraja Guillen commented, “Career day is a good opportunity to find out what you may be interested in, so I suggest that people choose their presentations carefully.”