It is doubtful that your hopes and aspirations now are the same as those you had at the age of eight.  Back then, we did not understand the difficulties that come with growing up, and we had no clue how much medical school cost. Third grade students at Curie Elementary School and preschool students at University City High are pretty sure what they want to be when they grow up.
In the Child Development program at University City High, all the little girls said that they wanted to be Elsa from the movie Frozen when they grow up. The popularity of this movie along with a pre-school aged girl’s understanding of reality makes it n obvious choice. They grow up watching the perfect, fairytale lives of movie characters and are inspired to be just like them. Who wouldn’t want to have magical powers? Minus the the whole sabotaging prince part, of course.
The third grade class at Curie Elementary had answers ranging from lawyer to pop star. The way the kids saw their dreams as realities was evident as they got antsy waiting to be asked what they wanted to be.  Some of the common answers included: chef , policemen officer, firefighter, teacher, veterinarian and inventor. Some of the kids got creative and responded with zoo keeper, Olympic snowboarder, sculptor and author. Their minds were buzzing with things they dreamed of becoming and things that they could possibly do one day.
One of the kids, a young boy, said, “I want to be on the show Wipeout when I’m in college!” His excitement was undeniable and he was sure this was exactly what he wanted to do.
A lot of the kids’ had multiple futures they hoped for themselves. As more answers were thrown out there, the surrounding kids would build on their previous ideas. This led to a mix of various, different aspirations. One little girl said she wanted to be a chef or a lawyer. Why not both?
Exploring the various careers these kids want makes you remember a simpler time, back in elementary school, when you really had no clue what you wanted to be, but could easily imagine yourself grown up.  Now it is all so real. Being in high school, we actually have to decide what we want to be when we grow up.  The question is no longer a game and this simple question actually has a deeper meaning and real cost, with regards to time and money.
Looking back, I have to say that I know do not want to be a pop star like I did back then, but that does not mean others didn’t have their futures figured out before they could read. Talking to the third grade class put a perspective on how fast we are all growing up. Who knows? One of those kids could be the President one day, or even be on Wipeout, but for them it all seems like a lifetime away.