The Assignment

Chapter 1- The Assignment 

The bell rings signalling it’s time to make our way to our second period class. I wait for Amy to grab her books from her locker and we make our way down the crowded hallway to room 215 - Careers with Mrs. Larson. Amy and I to take our seats in the back of the class and watch as our peers rush in as to not be late. She may only be 5’2”, but you do not want to get on Mrs. L’s bad side. 

Mrs. L starts the class off by handing back an assignment we had completed the week before. We were told to research a career that we were interested in and explain the steps that needed to be taken to get into that field. For Amy this assignment was a no brainer. She’s known her entire life that she’s going to University to become an elementary school teacher. She smiles when she turns over her paper and I can see from the corner of my eye that Mrs. L has given her an A. 

“Blair, I got an A! How did you do?” Amy asks.

“I did pretty good. I guess she liked my report on how to become a nurse,” I respond. I actually got a C+, but Amy doesn’t need to know that. I’ll do better next time. 

Mrs. L finishes handing out the assignments and tells us we’ll be heading to the computer lab to work on a career aptitude test. Once we’ve done that, we’ll need to research that career and submit yet another assignment. As we walk to the lab, I begin to wonder if anybody has ever found their dream career by filling out an online career aptitude test.  I guess I will find out soon. 

I log into the computer and open up the career aptitude test. Apparently answering 100 questions will tell me what my dream job is. Here we go… 

“Do you enjoy cooking for others?” - Absolutely not; I guess that takes chef off the list.

“Do you enjoy working with numbers?”- Yes, but that doesn’t exactly narrow it down.

“Do you want to work directly with children and teenagers?”- Deal with people like me all day? No thank you!

100 questions later I’m finished, and eagerly await my results. The program is designed to take the answers you submit and generate 3 career choices that you would be well suited for. My results appear, and I’m suddenly quite disappointed. My results are: Architect, Pilot, and Computer Technician. 

Architect. Pilot. Computer Technician. You have got to be kidding me. There’s no way this is right. I live in a small town and don’t plan on leaving, and I can assure you that they don’t need another architect. Not that I want to be one anyway. A pilot would be cool, but there’s no way I’m cut out for that. And I certainly don’t want to be a computer technician. I think I need to talk to Mrs. L about this. It would simply be a waste of my time to write about any one of these. 

“Hey, Amy?” I try to get her attention to get her opinion.

“Sorry, one minute, I’m almost done!” She responds.

“It’s quick… look at my results. So not me, right?”

“Ugh, not even close. You, a pilot? Funny!”

“I know, right?! I’m going to go talk to Mrs. L about it. Maybe she’ll let me take the test again.” At least someone is on the same page as me. With any luck Mrs. L will be too. 

I stand up and nervously walk towards her. She watches me as I do this, and I can tell by her expression that this conversation might not go as planned. She’s clearly upset with how poorly I did on my last assignment. Here goes nothing… 

“Mrs. L, do you have a minute? I have a problem with this assignment.”

“Sure, what’s the problem, Blair,” she responds.

“Well, I got my results, and um… well I was just thinking that maybe… um… I don’t really..” 

“And you don’t really like the results?” She saves me from my awkward babbling.

“Exactly” I respond. Whew, she gets its. This is going better than expected. 

“What were your results?”

“Architect, Pilot and Computer Technician,” I’m sure she’ll agree that these jobs just aren’t cut out for me. 

“I don’t see the problem, Blair. You’d be very good at all of those jobs. Why don’t you think you’d be cut out for them?” That’s the response I was expecting, and dreading.

I go on to explain that I wouldn’t be able to be an architect because I really don't have an interest in building, or designing things for that matter. I don’t know anybody who is a pilot, and my parents would freak if I even brought up the idea. Though I do think it would be cool, I just really don’t see it being an option for me. And I explained that I just simply don’t want to be a computer technician. The idea of sitting behind a desk all day dealing with people’s computer problems is not what I saw in my future. 

Her response was simple, and to the point. “You’ll do the assignment on steps to becoming a pilot. It’s the only one you’ve shown any interest in at all, and I think you’d make an excellent pilot.” So much for taking that aptitude test again. 

I walk back to the computer fairly disappointed. Amy can tell right away that things did not go in my favour. 

“She’s making you pick one of those, isn’t she?” Amy asks.

“No…” I respond.

“Then why the long face?”

“I don’t even get the option now. She said I had to do the assignment on becoming a pilot. So stupid.”

“Yeah, seriously. Why would you do a whole assignment on being a pilot, when there’s no chance you’ll ever be one? She definitely has it out for you.”

The bell rings, and we’re off to lunch. As I walk to my locker I feel irritated by Amy’s response. The words “when there’s no chance you’ll ever be a pilot” stick with me for the rest of the day. What does she mean that there’s no chance? 

I’m fairly quiet on the bus ride home. Amy and I sit together, but I don’t really say anything to her. Instead I just sit in silence and look out the window. I see some kids on the sidewalk and wonder who they will be in 20 years. Will they have the same problem I’m having? Or will they be like Amy and know exactly what they want to be? For their sake I hope they know early. It’s hard to explain the stress of being a senior in high school and not knowing what you plan on doing for the rest of your life. I had high hopes that my careers class would help me, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. 

The bus comes to a slow stop in front of my house. I stop daydreaming, say bye to Amy and walk off the bus. When I walk in the house I’m greeted by my younger brother, Max, who gets home 30 minutes earlier than I do. The perks of being in grade 5. 

“Hey Max, how was school?” I ask.

“It was okay. We played soccer in gym class. That was fun.” He responds.

“Sounds fun. If you need anything I’ll be up in my room doing homework, okay?”

“Okay.”

Time to start this Careers project. 

Step 1: Using the results of your career aptitude test, choose the career that interests you the most. 

This step was done for me. Pilot.

Step 2: Determine the steps someone would have to take to get an entry level job in this field. 

Here’s what I learned:

• There are a few different ways someone can become a pilot. A lot of airports have flight schools, and you can even go to college to become a pilot. 
• You only need to be 14 to start flight lessons in Canada
• You need to have a Commercial Pilot’s Licence to get paid
• A lot of new pilot’s start off as flight instructors 

So, I guess the steps are: Find a school, get your Commercial Pilot’s Licence, and then become a Flight Instructor. Easy enough. 

Step 3: What are 3 things about this career that interest you?

• You can travel the world and get paid for it
• Everyday would be different 
• I’d look hot in a pilot’s uniform 
• I’ll come back to this after. I have no idea.

I give up! Time for a break. How does Mrs. L expect me to do an assignment on something I have absolutely no interest in. Does she want me to lie to get an A? 

I go downstairs and see if Mom and Dad need any help with dinner. They’re on this health kick, and expect Max and I to eat healthy with them too.I thought it was totally gross at first, but I have to admit, it’s not so bad. I’d never admit it to Mom or Dad though.

“Hi sweetie, how was school?” Dad asks.

“It was okay. Mrs L has it out for me though.” I respond.

“And what makes you think that?” He responds. 

“Well, for starters, she gave me a C+ on my last assignment, and I thought it was really good. And today we did a career aptitude test, and she wouldn’t let me redo it when I told her I didn’t like my results.” 

“Well, honey, I really don’t think that’s a reason for you to think she has it out for you. What were the results of the test?” Asks Mom.

“I got Pilot, Architect, and Computer Technician. When I went to talk to her she said I had to do the assignment on how to become a pilot.” I respond somewhat angrily.

“A pilot, eh? That sounds like a lot of fun- you’d be a great pilot. Maybe it’s actually something to consider.” Says Dad.

“Your Dad is right Blair. We know you’ve been struggling to find something that interests you, maybe give this some real thought. You never know” Says Mom

“Okay, sure, I will.” I say quietly.

As I’m peeling carrots I consider what they had to say. I really didn’t expect that response from them. As if they actually think that I could be a pilot. I mean, I guess there isn’t a reason why I couldn’t be a pilot. Maybe it really is something I could do. Maybe Mrs. L isn’t crazy after all. I didn’t think I’d even consider the idea, and now I think I am. I’m a little bit confused to be honest. I think I’ll turn off my brain and focus on these carrots. 

Turning off my brain wasn’t as simple as I thought it would be. Throughout dinner all I could do was focus on this assignment. Sure I heard Max talk all about his soccer game at school, and how Lucas wouldn’t share the ball, and blah, blah, blah. And then Mom and Dad discussing about what colour to paint the bathroom. But in the back of my mind, I’m thinking “Wouldn’t it be cool if I was a pilot- who would have thought?!” It really is consuming all of my thoughts. Could I really be a pilot? Is it something I would like? How much money do they make anyway? I decide to go upstairs and finish the assignment. 

My sudden interest in being a pilot is making this assignment so much easier. No wonder Amy likes this class so much. I’m finding so much information and the more I read, the more excited I get!  I feel a warm glimmer of hope within. Maybe this is what I was meant to be after all.

Reviews

[Jacob Clifford]

This has an interesting feel to it. It feels very human. This clearly has many ideas waiting to be expanded upon. I won't give any specific advice, but I will suggest that you try to keep your sentences from being wordy when they don't have to be - avoid unnecessary words. Because of how the brain works, it's easy to pump out word after word without thinking of their necessity. You aren't that bad with it here, but no harm would come from taking a quick skim of this and etching out some of the fluff.

I hope you keep going with this and strive to improve your writing. You have an interesting style thus far.

[Shauna]

Thanks for the comments- really appreciate it.

[KittyKatgirl]

This is a great start to a brilliant story. Keep on writing this I am already intrigued and can't wait to read more. Keep up the great work :)