I have to do an assignment for my major where we explore different job opportunities in our areas of interest within the field and write about it. The first area I chose was non-profit management, specifically youth development. Every job posting I found sounded amazing and got me really excited. The second area I chose was travel and tourism because I love to travel and I’m getting a minor in tourism. I found, however, that those job descriptions did not excite me nearly as much. I love travel and tourism, but I don’t want to work in an office per se. I want to be out in the thick of it, experiencing it with the tourists and watching them be enchanted by what different places have to offer.
Due to the fact that I couldn’t find any job positions that sounded incredible to me, I decided to switch the area of work I was going to write about: outdoor and adventure recreation/education. Again, the job descriptions got me excited and I found common themes: being outside and helping others.
I have decided that whatever I decide to do with my life, I need to spend a lot of time in the outdoors. I love the peace and tranquility that nature offers. I love the fresh mountain air. I love how being in nature facilitates pondering and self-discovery. Great things happen outside, and I want to be a part of it. I love being outside way too much to be cooped up in an office full-time. That’s not for me.
That probably means I won’t make very much money, if any. But I don’t care. As long as my family and I can get by, I want to spend my time and energy focused on helping other people live their best lives. And I strongly believe that the lessons we learn about others, nature, and ourselves in the outdoors will help us live our best lives everywhere.
jamie goes outside 