Im 23 years old and starting all over again. I studied environmental engineering because thats what my father wanted for me. When I finished school, I dreamt of studying fashion design. Id been drawing since I was a boy, mending and altering my own clothes, stitching with a needle and thread. But in our house, that kind of thing was never up for discussion. One evening at dinner, my dad made his position very clear:
Thats not a real profession. You need something secure, something thatll guarantee you a job.
I went into environmental engineering with those words echoing in my mind. The first term was brutally hard. Nothing made sense to me and I didnt feel like I belonged there at all. Every time I considered quitting and changing course, my dad insisted:
Youve started now. Theres no turning back.
Do whatever you want afterwards, but you need to get your degree first.
So I carried onmostly out of fear that Id let him down, because I relied on him financially and had no way of paying for another degree myself.
The years passed. I completed my work placement, wrote my dissertation, and graduated. On graduation day, my dad couldnt have been prouder. He took photos with everyone, hugging us all. I smiled for the pictures, but I felt empty inside. Just a few months ago, I landed a job in my field. It was a good job by all accounts, but I never felt like I fit in.
Instead, Id come home in the evenings, shrug off my uniform, and start drawing. Id spend hours searching out fabrics, pouring over sketches and collections. I started altering old clothes, sewing for a couple of mates, repairing things here and there. One evening, my mum quietly said:
Youre not happy there, are you?
I didnt answer, but in my heart I knew she was right.
Things blew up with my dad when I told him I wanted to study fashion design. He was furious:
After everything Ive invested in you?
Youre seriously going to throw away a career?
This is just a whim!
I told him Id keep working, and that I wouldnt expect a single penny from him. The conversation was rough. For weeks after, we barely spoke to each other properly.
But I signed up anyway. I checked timetables, bought the materials I needed, juggled my schedule. I picked up a part-time job as well. These days, I work in the mornings and study in the afternoons and evenings. Sometimes I come home exhausted, back aching, sewing into the dead of night. There are weeks when moneys tight and I have to count every last pound.
At university, Im the one who started late. The one with a degree already. The mature fresher, so to speak. But for the first time, Im not ashamed. Im doing something that means everything to me. I can spend hours in the workshop without noticing the time passing. I wake up feeling differentbetter.
My dad still hasnt come around to it. Sometimes he says he hopes Im not making a mistake. I dont argue. I just carry on.
I cant say for certain whether this path will be perfect or if itll all work out easily. But tell me: do you think I did the right thing?
I’m 23 and Starting Over: I Studied Environmental Engineering Because My Dad Insisted, but I Always Dreamed of Fashion Design—Now, After Graduation and a Difficult Family Rift, I’ve Finally Chosen My Own Path Despite Uncertainty and Parental Disapproval. Did I Make the Right Choice?
