An Astronaut, Nurse, Doctor, Musician, or Professional Youtuber are some of the kid’s most common aspirations when asked: ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ When prompted about this now, many teenagers scoff at such a ‘childish’ question, but it is viable to consider and can be very engaging and in-depth. You can learn a lot about someone by what they want to be. Do they want to be in the medical field? Help people psychologically? Run their own business or direct a group of people? You can infer a bit from their future aspirations.

Talking about life after high school can make many uncomfortable. Not knowing what you want to do and being out on your own without the steps: ‘freshmen, senior, graduation,’ you can feel lost in the big world. Work can be relaxed, and you can always keep trying and get the career you want, but there are a few jobs you may have yet to hear of that can inspire you for your future.

To live comfortably, it’s gauged you need to make around $49,000 per year in Alaska for yourself. If you plan on living out of state, you should research the average income for single-homed residences to live well. If you plan on having a significant other, pets, or children, you should add those into your needed annual income to get a better estimation of some jobs you want if independent. You also should factor in other sources, like college, taxes, savings, transportation, and extra expenses. MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, found at  https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/02, is a great website that can estimate the needed ballpark with how much you may need to make with kids in the house and/or a significant other while factoring in the state you’re in.

The first well-paying job you may enjoy is for those with a keen eye for art. Color Consultants collect color pallets for home renovators. They are currently in high demand and can make around $100,000 a year. When applying for this job, it’s good to have a degree in the design field, investing in art colleges out of high school. If you enjoy creating and designing, you may want to look into it and see if it’s for you.

Food Stylists stylize food! Making sure food looks appetizing for photography. The career can pay up to $51,000 per year and even be fun! To get a leg in, you should have a history of culinary arts though not required. A Food Stylist may be present when designing menus, food presentations on cooking shows, or private events to make sure the food looks good. Though it’s not in the job manuscript, you may cook some of the foods, so knowing how to create a delicious meal and plate helps.

For recent events on the News, several Broadcast Journalists are interviewing, reporting, and sharing information with the wide world. It’s a much more ambitious job with a recommended Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Communications, or a variety of English but pays around $52,000 per year while gaining information on topics you may be curious about. Some top earners can make $96,000 a year! To succeed in this career, you should be good at talking, making sure the conversation can flow during an interview, and being a part of the community. If you’re close-knit with everyone, they may come to you to cover topics, making your job a little easier.

Who reads books to make sure they’re able to be published online? Book Proofreaders! You can make around $59,000 a year by just reading. It can be a difficult job when reading a story you dislike or with less than easy language, but if you enjoy reading regardless, you can have a lot of fun in the field. For this career, an English or Literature degree is strongly recommended and can be well worth it.

Knowing what you want in the future is stressful. You shouldn’t feel pressured into having a job right out of high school or knowing what you want. But, having an idea or loose plan can relieve some stress. There are many jobs out there, and your work life can be fun and fit your personality and interests. It’s your life and while jobs, your future financial life, and relationships are hard, hopefully, you know there are jobs out there you can work and enjoy. You aren’t alone in anything and it’s perfectly normal if you aren’t independent out of high school because everyone should understand it’s tough! But a plan is optimal for your forthcoming life outside of school.