When we're younger, we're always asking each other "what do you want to be when you grow up" and the answers are usually the same answers policemen, firemen, doctors, vets, popstars, spacemen, pilots... and nobody questions that because we're all adamant that is what we will become. As we get older reality sets in and all of a sudden grades matter and school is the most important thing and suddenly, we have people telling us what we are and aren't allowed to become. The dreams get, to put it honestly, they get crushed.
Not everyone in this world is academic and we all work differently so to give everyone the same exam is - in my opinion - completely unfair. The dreams of doctors fade, the dreams of fireman and police fade as they're not achieving the grades, with the dreams of popstars, dancers and actors, all being told to get their heads out their clouds because the job they want to do in the future isn't achievable.
Myself and a few others were driving around the other day, looking for a venue for our uni performance - boring stuff not worth talking about and my friend was speaking about when he was younger he wanted to be a singer, I agreed to this - as this is literally my dream to become a popstar.. Anyway, as I was belting out 'Show Me Heaven' he turned to me and said "you can sing, you can still be the popstar you've dreamed of". The truth is, at 22, I still find myself asking people "What do you want to be when you're older?" and I can guarantee you everyone will have an answer, their dream. Because - and this is super cheesy - dreams don't die. Just because you're not doing it now doesn't mean you can't get there. I say, if you can dream it, you can do it.
We're far too influenced by what we're told by older people when we're teens - at our most vulnerable - and these older people only tell us we can't because they're bitter they've not reached their dream yet.
If you want it bad enough you can do it.
What do you want to be when you're older?
