As I approached the end of my secondary education, like most people my age, I found myself uncertain about my future. The thousands of career paths available felt daunting, and I struggled to figure out what truly interested me. This uncertainty pushed me to explore different subjects, hoping to discover a field that felt right for me. After much searching, I think I have finally found it. 

Hate is a strong word, so I wouldn’t say I hate the natural sciences—no, I utterly detest them. In my GCE O-levels, my school forced students to take science subjects alongside the mandatory social sciences. Despite getting good grades in both, I naturally gravitated toward the more subjective and nuanced fields of social sciences. Still, I was oblivious to my future aspirations; I had narrowed my possible options, however, I couldn't pinpoint a particular affinity towards a field due to lack of exposure.

To broaden my horizons, I researched various degrees in social sciences and humanities. Some I immediately dismissed, others I shortlisted, but one stood out. It grabbed my attention because of its unfair representation in the media: law. I decided to gain first-hand insights into the profession by shadowing a renowned lawyer in my city during the summer. 

Witnessing court proceedings, and trials, made me star-struck by the nuance and subjectivity of the career and the client-attorney discussions taught me the empathetic aspect of the profession. These experiences solidified my interest in law and I believe that is the career I wish to pursue. To facilitate my formal education of law I even took up the subject in my A-Levels.

In my studies, I realized that while some legal principles are universal, the legal intricacies and theories differ from country to country. Therefore, the country where I choose to study law is of monumental importance. This is a very important decision that I do not have enough exposure to take by the next year. 

Therefore, I cannot stay confined to knowing only one country’s legal framework; I need to widen my perspective. Through books, videos, and online courses I have started to learn about the fundamental differences between the legal frameworks of Pakistan and other countries. Comparing two countries’ legal frameworks from the ground up helps me gain a clear understanding of the lacking qualities in the legal framework of my own country and sometimes vice-versa. This will facilitate my decision on where to study law in the future if I take that step. However, it is important to note that I am not naïve enough to think that this fascination with law should be the end of my career exploration. I am open to the idea of being flexible with my path in the future but for the time being, the black suit calls to me like nothing else.

Aside from this, I have also started a more theoretical study of soft skills like argumentation, reasoning, and articulation skills. While I think I have gained adequate practical experience during my shadowing experience, I still lack formal education in these skills. The A-Level course certainly helps but books about logic and argumentation help hone the skills of an aspiring lawyer like nothing else.

These days there are thousands of different career paths available to us teenagers and this abundance of options can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, typical secondary education systems don't always provide enough opportunities in practice to explore different career paths to get a feel for what would be a good fit. Therefore, we have to take the matter into our own hands, and through proper research and dedication, we can find our own path.