A Letter from the Editor

Greetings, bienvenidos.

What did you want to be when you grew up? A rockstar? An astronaut? A doctor?

I didn’t even know what field I wanted to study until the twilight of my senior year in high school. But in retrospect, I’m not surprised I landed in journalism.

I remember dressing up every afternoon, stumbling next to the television in my mom’s heels so I could repeat everything Maria Celeste said as she anchored “Al rojo vivo” on Univision. When I was a few years older, I handwrote multiple copies of a Zelaya-Ordoñez family gossip newspaper. Then, I would sell them to visiting relatives for 25 cents, only to do it again the following week.

I didn’t know I wanted to be a journalist. But I did know my desires. I wanted to research, create, write, speak and film. My core values shaped out to be courage, honesty and community. Journalism was the natural choice if what I sought in a career was fulfillment.

But not everyone realizes their career so soon.

The greatest disservice society does to young adults is convincing them there is only one ‘proper’ path to success. All of a sudden, teenagers are expected to know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Many, with no career or savings to their name, take on crippling loans to pay for an overpriced education that doesn’t even guarantee them a job in their field, let alone success and stability. McDonald’s or college are not your only options.

In this month’s issue of Cooglife, we look at multiple different career options. Yes, we explore some of the wonderful opportunities college can provide within fields like medicine and computer science, but we also give a platform to so much more. We spotlight a college dropout that thrived in entrepreneurship, a successful welder and a Hollywood screenwriter/producer. We also uplift the homemaker, the unsung, unpaid hero on a roundthe-clock shift the nation would fall apart without. And that’s just the tip of the iceburg!

The point of diversifying our articles is to show you a tiny glimpse of the possibilities available to you. Additionally, you’ll find support in switching career, advice regarding internships and resources from UH career services.

We all have different paths in life and labor, dictated by our skills and interests. Embrace your path, fearlessly and proudly, even if you still can’t see too far ahead. Our differences are what make us strong. The nation would fall apart if we all tried to follow a “safe” college major, despite our abilities or desires. I hope this edition inspires you to pursue the best path for you. No one knows your heart best. And whatever you choose, good luck. I believe in you.

Cynthia Isabel Zelaya Ordoñez Executive Editor