Why did you want to be a social worker?

       A few days ago, someone asked me if I always wanted to be a social worker.  I did not really know how to respond because in my heart I always wanted to be a social worker, but my head told me something different.  When I was younger I thought I wanted to be an Attorney!  I loved law & debating, & trying to figure  out if people were being deceitful.  I love politics, CNN, and current events happening locally and around the world. I thought that being a lawyer would be the best profession mainly because lets be honest it makes a lot of money.  In high school, I was on the debate team, SGA, and United Nations, and I even joined a coed law fraternity in college (shout out to P.A.D.).   When I started college I did the basics and took the general studies classes. I actually started out as a Political Science Major and a pre law minor. I liked the classes, but I wasn’t in love with it. There was a little voice inside of my head that said just take a different class and see what you think. By the second semester I decided to listen to that voice and I took sociology and I fell in love with that major and the class. I thought that major fit me perfectly.Mainly because anyone who meets me or knows me will say that I do not have a comfort zone and I am always getting to know people or trying to assist and help in some way. Maybe that's why I joined 6 different organizations in college. I love to study and interact with people and to find a degree that does what I loved to do amazed me. A lot of people judged me and said what are you going to do with that major? A degree in sociology will not get you a job. Then I got a little nervous.
      During my changing majors phrase, my mother was very supported and told me to pray on it and whatever I decided to do, she would support me. Moms are the gr8est. Well at least my mother is ;) Then I thought out loud, if GOD got me to college, he can get me a job. So I majored in sociology.
      I love sociology because it is the study of people and how they function. This is perfect because I am a true sociologist. Then my junior year I took Introduction to Social Work, and fell in love all over again. I learned so much and the teacher and class opened my eyes to so much information. My school did not have a social work major so I got a social welfare emphasis and it was a match made in heaven. I was studying sociology and social work. I loved helping people and getting involved in the community.  That is also why I loved my sorority because they do what I love to do and a lot of my founders and Sorors were social workers and/or educators. Then I did some more research about the social work field and it made me want to become a linseed clinical social worker. A linseed clinical social workers (LCSW)  provide mental health services  for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders in individuals, families, and groups. Their goal is to enhance and maintain their patients' physical, psychological, and social function.          
       Which leads  me to where I am now. I graduated May 8, 2010. I landed a great job working in the social work field. So I decided to take a year off to make sure that social work is something that I really want to pursue and do for a living. This year has been amazing because it confirmed even more that being a social worker is something that I really wanted to do. After taking these few months off, I am def. ready to go back to school and get my masters in social work and more specifically an LCSW. I researched that LCSW must have a master's or doctorate degree in social work, with an emphasis on clinical experience. They must undergo a supervised clinical field internship and have at least 2 years of postgraduate supervised clinical social work employment.  I applied to 3 MSW programs and I am blessed and happy to say that I got accepted into all 3 programs and I narrowed it down to one MSW program that met what I am looking for. I start Graduate school August 2011 and I am excited.
     Today, I am thankful that I decided to be a social worker.  I enjoy waking up every morning and going to work.  I really enjoy what I do, and I know that God has a bright future for me. It’s funny how you think you know what you want, but God has a way of pointing and directing you to your purpose and calling. ;)I just look forward to the great things that are in store for my life!! :)