When I was in school, mainly public and high school, learning new things was such a chore. Who wanted to learn about y=mc2 or how the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell? I enjoyed school for the most part, but some classes were less enjoyable than others as I’m sure many students can agree with. Once I started college, I was amazed by how much I enjoyed going to classes and doing my homework after class was not as horrible as it was in high school. Don’t get me wrong it would have been nice to have less homework like some of the other programs my friends were in, but I enjoyed myself. When you are in a program that you want to be in and the subjects intrigue you, learning new things is not as bad as it used to be. At least that was my experience! Some of the topics I enjoyed less than others and some things were hard to grasp but the fact that I enjoyed my other classes so much made up for that.
If you’re in high school and feeling frustrated, stick with it, and you’ll get there! Once you find a job that you love, you’ll want to learn more and be better at it. It’s all about finding what interests you and what will make you happy for the duration of your career. And don’t be afraid to be flexible! What you wanted to be when you were six years old may no longer be the job that you are best suited to. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a veterinarian. It took me until grade 11/12 to realize that being a veterinarian was not the right career choice for me. Did it make me sad? Absolutely. I felt like I was lost and didn’t know what path I was supposed to take now. But when I started looking into other careers, I realized that being a registered veterinary technician suited me so much better! And I was excited again! I found a new career path and I now had a direction to go in.
Life is like riding a roller coaster. There are many ups and downs, and you can’t always predict when they are coming. So it’s like riding a rollercoaster but blindfolded. It would be so much easier to see when the highs and lows are coming but unfortunately we can’t so we learn to enjoy the ride as it happens. For me not being a vet was a low but finding my calling as a technician was a huge high point!
I enjoy my field of work so much that even after I have graduated, I still look for opportunities to learn. I learn new things every day in the clinic from watching my colleagues and asking questions. But I also read veterinary technician articles and take quizzes on what I’ve read. I attend conferences to learn new skills and find ways to offer better care for my patients. I pay to take additional courses outside of work that is beneficial to my job, like ultrasonography. And the best part of it is, I enjoy doing all of these things! My field of work is continuously evolving, and with it, I must grow too. I strive to become a better technician so my patients can always be in good hands.
So, to get to the point, try not to stress too much. Eventually, you’ll find a career that you love, and you’ll want to keep learning and growing. Embrace that! Learn everything that you can and keep that excitement for learning.
Written by: KKelsey Hewgill, RVT
