Dear JC
Thank you for your letter. I know you feel frustrated about your future career and are passionate about becoming a vet. As I had been a teen too, I had experienced similar situations, standing at the crossroads. I can totally understand your feelings and I am happy to give you some advice.
First of all, are you serious about becoming a vet? I don’t mean to deny your ability or love for animals but choosing your future path without careful consideration may bring harmful results. Sometimes things you like to do might not be a suitable job for you to pursue. Although you love animals, the job of a vet involves more than taking care of the fluffy kids or checking their body. You may also need to do administration work and face demanding pet owners. It would be more ideal if you search for more information about being a vet, like the job duties and stories of serving vets. I also suggest you join social services and activities related to animal care and to gain practical experiences. With more understanding of the career, I believe you will be able to decide whether it is just an impulse or an aspiration you really wish to pursue.
When you have confirmed your ambition is to be a vet, you will need to ponder the reality. I assume you are now in Secondary 4 or 5, right? Have you taken some required electives like Biology and Chemistry? You need to research the entrance requirements and admission details. If you are not taking the electives as expected, you might have to self-study them and discuss with your school teachers whether you can sit those subjects at the HKDSE. If you are studying the requires subjects, strive for the best results in them. I bet the admission criteria are high. So, you’ll need to work very hard. Can you do that?
If you are confident in attaining good grades and your desire to become a vet does not waver, gather the information and arrange a time to talk to your parents. Show them the prospect of a vet and most importantly your plan to achieve that. Perhaps your parents said no last time because they thought you were not serious and had not thought about the choice thoroughly. Or find out why they said no first. They might be worried that you cannot bear the stress? You could explain to them your passion and the details of the study option and career as a vet. Remember to stay calm and have a genuine conversation with them. A fight never helps.
I trust that your parents care about you and I wholeheartedly hope that you will come to an agreement about your future. The Teen Magazine will stand by you all along your way.
Yours sincerely
Chris
Chris Wong