I've been having this feeling that the last four years of my life have been wasted for quite some time, and today I reached a crossroads.
The Plan
I've been going to college for almost four years now, majoring in Law Enforcement. I've enough credits now to graduate with an AD in General Studies, and I'm only two classes shy of my AD in Law Enforcement. The plan all along has been to get the degrees, go to the academy, then join the Police Corps program in either Kentucky or Florida, and be a cop in a large city in one of those states. While I'm a police officer, the state will pay for me to continue my education. I could get my BAs in Theatre and English, then retire at the age of 45 and go teach high school.
The Present
I've been
unemployed for about a year now; just going to school, leeching off my parents, and trying to find an
interesting job. I did get the opportunity to learn a new trade this summer when a local production company ran an ad in the paper looking for a cast and crew for a movie they were shooting. With my seven years of doing tech work at the regional theatre, I was able to get a job as the head sound tech. Two months later, after having a lot of fun and headaches, we had to scrap the project when the producer lost $300,000 in the stock market. I was going to be paid in a percentage of the profits, so I didn't get a penny for all my hard work, but I do have something new to put on my résumé.
Setting the Stage
In early October, I was drafted to help my father set up equipment for his band at a local fundraiser for the American Cancer Association. After I set everything up, I went over to help a lady that was setting up a PA for announcements, raffle prizes, and such. I helped her for about an hour by holding the drawing bucket, running errands and what not, then she wanted to take a break. She handed me the microphone and took off. I ended up MCing the event for the last two hours. The PA system was being run out of a van owned by one of the local radio stations. At the end of the night, the public relations guy came over and gave me his card, telling me he was really impressed and to call the station manager about a job. I was excited, to say the least. I got my résumé together, went down to the station, and filled out an application. They called me back and I went in for an interview the first week of November. Everything went well, they gave me a tour of the station, told me they would call, then I didn't hear from them until last Thursday.
The Monkey Wrench
The radio station now wants me to be an intern for their morning show. They are having a promotional event next week where I'll be competing with someone else for the position, but I'm pretty sure it's a gimmick, at least that's the way they make it sound. I'll be working with Gretchen Cordy from Survivor, it'll be a great learning experience, and it's a foot in the door for landing a paying job in the radio field. I'm really excited by it, and so are my parents. I had no idea how excited they were until this morning. The radio station called again to tell me to plan on coming down there all next week for the competition. I went to tell my mother and she dropped a bombshell on me... "Well, your father and I have been talking. If you get this job at the radio station, we'll talk to your grandfather and he'll send you ten thousand dollars for you to change your major to broadcasting, transfer to Austin Peay and buy you a car."
"Uh, ok, sure....WHAT?"
Needless to say, I'm quite stumped. I have no idea what to do or say. Should I abandon the plan I have made for the rest of my life for some pipe dream of making it in the radio industry? Should I just stick to my guns and regret not taking the chance of a lifetime? My future holds so much hope now... Why am I so afraid?