“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late… to be whoever you want to be.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald.
This quote has inspired me to follow my true passions, even if the journey has not been straightforward. In 2019, I graduated high school and enrolled in South Dakota State University’s pharmacy program. Throughout college, I gradually noticed I was not passionate about what I was learning and dreaded becoming a pharmacist. In 2023, I finally realized that becoming a career in pharmacy was not for me, and I knew I needed to make a change before it was too late.
After graduating from SDSU with my bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, I decided to take a leap of faith and follow my heart. Like many others in this field, creating art has always been my main passion. At first, I was scared to pursue a career in art because it did not have a set, clear path like the medical field. Growing up, people told me I would not be financially successful if I followed my true passion and pursued it as a career, so I stayed with the “safe” route.
In 2023, I enrolled at Southeast Technical College to study media design. The design program has been a better fit for me, and I enjoy learning and improving my skills. I am finally passionate about my work and love learning something new daily. I currently have an internship at PANTHER | Ad Arts and have been creating branding materials for the company. I love gaining real-world experience while I have been there. I am so thankful that I dared to pursue a different career I am passionate about. I want others to know it is never too late to start over and be who you want to be.
