Don’t go, please leave
By: Katie Bates
February 13, 2023
As Grade 12 students, we are faced with the inevitable of deciding what it is we are going to do after high school.
Some of us know from a very early age what we want to “be” when we grow up but for others, we are still trying to figure it out. The bottom line is, we have to leave home, spread our wings and fly independently from the securities of courageous caregivers.
While this co-op placement with the Kincardine Record gave me the amazing opportunity to work with editor Liz Dadson, and get a taste of small-town journalism, could I see myself going into that field? Enrolling and paying for courses only to realize halfway through that it’s just not for me?
Should I tap into my creative side and go into graphic design or become a child and youth worker or go into health care? Truth is, I honestly don’t know exactly what it is I want to do, yet society is telling me that at this age, at this fork in the road of life, I SHOULD know. But I don’t and that’s okay. I am young, I have time to explore what my strengths are, what interests me, what excites me.
It's intimidating to watch other people around you move on from high school to pursue a career of their choice, especially when you're among the last in your grade who are confused about what you want to do with your life.
You tell yourself that you need to push yourself and look put-together when, in reality, you're not. You’re hesitant and fearful of making changes in your life because it stresses you out. That's me. And I know I'm not the only kid out there concerned about society's views on kids becoming adults.
I know that people like me can pick themselves up, pull up their socks, and work at their own pace. Slow learners can learn just as much as fast learners; it is not the speed at which you work that matters, but the quality of your work. It's the satisfaction of looking back and realizing how far you've come.
Some kids like me are afraid of growing up. It's okay, they say; it's okay that you don't know. But it's difficult for some to accept that it's okay; they can't help but feel isolated from the fact that everyone else's lives are in order and theirs isn’t; they can't help but feel stressed about doing their best when they could do better. They may never accept that it's okay, and that, in itself, is okay. It will always be okay. Don't be concerned about other people, be concerned about you, because it's always about you in the end.
After 21 years of parenting, my folks are looking forward to that empty nest, but still struggle with the “Don’t go, please leave” tug-of-war that all parents feel when their child goes off to college or university, but they are also supportive in the fact that not everyone has it all figured out at 18.
My wings are spread but I’m not quite ready to fly yet, at least not until I know for certain what my final destination will be.
Some have a birds-eye view of their future, but I’m fine just staying in the nest for a little while longer, staring up at the big, blue sky that is my future, seeing it filled with possibilities.
Knowing that no matter what it is I decide to do, I will love doing it.
And I will do it well.
Editor’s Note: This is the final story by Katie Bates, the Kincardine Record’s co-op student, as her placement has ended. We appreciate her hard work and dedication and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
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