It's an expansive and ever-growing list.
I'll try to keep it in chronological order, but I make no promises or guarantees that this is the order they occurred in. :)
Police officer.
The earliest recorded history of me indicating this was when I was four and the preschool I went to asked all the kids what they wanted to be. I'm not sure where this idea came from, but I find it interesting that similar careers have been featured later in life. (You'll see, later in the list.)
Teacher.
This has been a recurring career-dream of mine, starting when I was a child. Then, when it came time for me to declare a major for prospective universities, I put down "Secondary Education" and went off to pursue a degree so I could teach both high school English & history. My major became "Elementary Education" when I changed schools a year later. When classes started in August 2009 -- and my third attempt at getting a post-secondary degree, after taking five years off -- I decided that if I were to teach any audience, it would be college students. Even to this day, I know that teaching will somehow be a part of my life, even if it means just homeschooling my children. (I have a Pinterest board with ideas on either how to support my children's education in school or lessons / worksheets to teach them at home.)
Paleontologist / Archaeologist
When I was a kid, I wanted to discover dinosaurs and ancient life so much that I would go and start digging through dirt and brushing things away and looking at rocks of all different sizes, shapes, and patterns. In my youth, I wasn't sure of the difference between paleontology and archaeology, so my youthful brain often used one in place of the other. The release of Jurassic Park only served to fuel this desire -- and Indiana Jones was another movie I'd watch with wide eyes, wanting so bad to be with Indy in the places he saw. Even now, as I'm majoring in anthropology, there is a piece of me that wants to go to Olduvai and assist with digs there, as well as other places around the world. (Some even as close as the southern part of Colorado!)
Geologist.
This was mostly just in line with my paleontology / archaeology dreams - I knew that certain rocks meant certain things. A certain type of sediment meant that certain types of things might be found there. I was also obsessed with rocks when I was a kid. Like, truly. I'd go for walks and collect rocks. My mom, to this day, has a rock in her kitchen window to remind her of my childhood obsession. My parents even bought me a rock polisher for Christmas (or was it a birthday?) so I could see what was inside rocks.
Rock star.
This one mostly came about after I met and befriended some specific classmates in elementary school. (Most of whom I'm still friends with today.) They introduced me to the New Kids on the Block (oh oh oh-ho-ho, oh oh oh-ho) and we all started dreaming about being in a band. I'd play the keyboard (or, later, the drums) and occasionally back-up the other girls on the singing part. We also had a guitarist. This dream, thankfully, died long ago.
Youth pastor.
When I was in high school, this career choice became part of my "I'd like to be that" list and ceded only to teacher by the time graduation came around. (See, I figured, by graduation, that I'd become a teacher married to a youth pastor.) It was fueled by my renewed participation in church. I was even on my church's Bible Quiz team and became a youth leader in my church.
Chef / Caterer.
I took a foods and catering class during the last semester of my junior year, and I wanted to be a caterer. I'd be a chef that only catered events, and I'd have all of my own tables, table linens, chairs, and other rental equipment -- all personalized by color, of course. I even looked into attending Johnson & Wales University in Denver and fell in love with the campus during a class visit.
Actress.
Though the dream of being a rock star died, the dream of being in the spotlight didn't when I took a drama class in high school and became an understudy for the main part in a play. (I'm so glad that the main person didn't get sick or break her leg -- I never memorized the lines!)
Housewife.
This is another one of those recurring dream-careers. (And yes, I fully consider this to be a career!) I'd be a full-time, stay-at-home wife / mother who would take care of the house and kids and run most of the errands. When my children were old enough to go to school, I'd join a book club and help out at bake sales to keep myself occupied. This, honestly, is what I'd love to be above everything else on this list. I know that it probably won't happen, unless we win the lottery, but hey, a girl's gotta dream, right?
Someone in an office.
Commuting via public transit. Wearing business suits. Preparing that report that's due by 5. Hosting meetings. Running presentations. Getting things scheduled. Working late to meet deadlines. Bringing in coffees for the entire team. Yep -- I dreamed it. I kinda have it. (I don't have to wear business suits, I don't host meetings, and I'm not allowed to work late.)
Navy pilot / Navy chaplain.
After my first year of college, when I came back home that summer, I hooked up with the Navy. I did weekly PTs with them. I womaned their booth at the Greeley Stampede. I read over the STA-21 manual. I was memorizing the Sailors Creed and the 11 General Orders of A Sentry. I got down to needing to lose just fifteen more pounds before I'd be allowed to go to Basic. My plan was to finish my degree, lose those fifteen pounds, and go to Basic as an E-3 (Petty Officer Third Class). At first, I wanted to be a pilot, but my eyesight is bad and so I changed my interest to being a Chaplain. (I could use my then-declared degree of psychology and my aforementioned desire of being a youth pastor.) A few years later, I reached out to the Navy to find out more information about it because I thought about pursuing the USN again, but my thyroid condition had been diagnosed by that point, and the only way they'd take me, the recruiter said, was if I was cleared by a doctor as to no longer needing the medication. So that was out.
Wanderer.
Just leave with a backpack full of things and all the cash I had / have / saved up, and go. I'd work my way from place to place, making enough to pay for a cheap flat and food while saving the rest, only staying between six months to three years in one place. I'd get to see the world (or at least just Europe) that way.
Forensic psychologist.
Look at a crime and tell local authorities the characteristics of the person who committed it. Spend my time interviewing and therapizing criminals. Yep. I wanted to do it!
Crime scene investigator.
Combine my love of science, my love of solving puzzles, and my love of wanting to help people, and you get this perfect career!
An FBI agent.
Basically, see the last two, but on a national level.
A spy.
Seriously - travel the world, sneak into places, and risk my life for national secrets. What kid hasn't wanted to be a spy at some point in their lives?
Photographer.
One of the more recent additions to the list, this one is also a recurring dream. While I do, at the moment, take photographs (and, recently, videos) on the weekends, I frequently find myself wanting to do it full time. Have a crew of cameras at my disposal, a wardrobe for clients to dress in that Sue Bryce would envy, a wonderful studio space with TONS of natural lighting, backgrounds upon backgrounds to choose from, any prop that anyone could want...yes, please, can I have this? There's a huge part of me that would love to also photograph landscapes, and why can't I do both? On a trip to Colorado's eastern plains last year, I was struck by the openness of the land and the weather that met me on that summer's day. I wanted, so badly, to become someone who just photographed weather. Like uproot myself for three months out of the year and just go and photograph weather phenomena.
Cultural anthropologist.
I'm ready to combine my desire of being a wanderer with my love of culture and language. I'm ready to go live in a place for a while, earn the trust of the natives of that place, and learn as much as I can about that place and its people. This can be anywhere from the farming communities in eastern Colorado to the rain forests of Subsaharan Africa.
Event planner.
The most recent career-dream of mine is to be an event planner. I'd plan everything: children's parties, bridal showers, engagements, weddings, retirement parties, funerals. Flowers, linens, invitations, bar menus, themes, favors, items to add to registries...man, I'd do it all. I would become a personal party assistant to people, going to places like Pier 1 and buying a terrarium that would work as a card box for my quirky bride whose theme just fits so perfectly with that. Yes, please! I'm ready to start now. Oh wait -- I need an office. And a warehouse to store all of my wonderful party supplies. And a financier to supply everything. (Start up costs are a bitch.)
Well there you go!
That's most of everything that I've wanted to be when I grow up. (I'm sure I'm forgetting a thing or several.)
There are several of those things on the list that I still want to be when I grow up.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
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