The careers we choose can have an impact on our lives beyond just providing a source of income.
I have known what I want to do for a living since I was in elementary school. The combination of The Devil Wears Prada and 13 Going On 30 formed my infatuation with the magazine industry. Movies and TV shows often portrayed fashion journalism as a glamorous, cut-throat field, and I wanted to be part of it.
I subscribed to different fashion magazines and religiously watched America’s Next Top Model, trying to immerse myself in the industry. I took fashion classes in high school and was the editor-in-chief of my school newspaper.
After coming to college as a magazine journalism major, I realized I wasn’t alone in my source of career inspiration. Others connected with me about getting into the industry in the same way.
I have a small community of people who are on the same path as me and chose it because of the same reason I did. This is something we looked into in this issue of Ball Bearings. We explore the types of careers people choose and how they choose them. We also talk about how people balance and mix their hobbies with their careers.
We didn’t want to talk about the workforce without also acknowledging classes and the disconnect that can occur between them. There is often a push toward four-year higher education for a white-collar career. This can leave gaps that need filled in blue-collar, trade jobs. In addition to trade school, this issue examines receiving an education overseas.
As a whole, this digital edition aims to dive into cultures within careers and between classes. We hope to explain how the two intertwine and how their relationship exists within our society.
