Sebastian E. Moore
Professor Keiter
English 101
February 7, 2022
The Conversation
Throughout high school, I was not a very engaged student. I attended classes but did not
retain information or do work in meaningful ways. I had an indifferent attitude towards school
and saw college as unnecessary in many cases- including my own. I deemed it more useful to
enter the workforce, instead. During the summer that I turned 17. I decided to look for a job. My
grandparents referred me to one near their house in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I took a job at
Chocolate World where I spent my shifts cleaning, taking out the trash, and keeping the facility
tidy through a janitorial position. I enjoyed working there because it gave me an opportunity to
socialize in a way that my cyber school didn’t allow. I made friends with both teenagers and
adults that worked alongside me. Many of the teenagers were just working summer jobs like I
was, so they came and went. The regulars that I worked with were usually adults.
One day, while working, a conversation sparked a revelation that forever changed the way
that I saw the world. It happened on a day that we had been ahead of schedule while opening.
My boss and I took up light conversation to fill the time before the lights turned on and the doors
opened. We spoke about hobbies, where we wanted to travel, and what video games we enjoyed
playing. Then, the topic shifted to careers. I voiced my plans, or lack thereof, after high school. I
told him that I wasn’t sure how long I’d be at Chocolate World or what I would do afterwards.
Casually, he told me that he had thought the same thing. I learned that he had worked at
Chocolate World since he was 15. He had never thought about his future or tried to stray from
the business. The way he spoke about it so matter-of-factly struck me as odd. He was in his mid30s and never really found his place, he only further settled into the space that he had been in
since he was 15.
After the conversation that we had, the more I looked around me, the more I saw this. The
people who worked alongside me did not pursue education or a career after they graduated high
school. This was because they either did not have the choice, did not have guidance, or lacked
the motivation. They worked at Chocolate World because they had no other option. They were
trapped in this life that they established for themselves at the age of 18 and never stopped to
rethink their teenage decisions. It was sad to see these people that lacked direction and lost
confidence in themselves and stagnated. I did not think this in a pitying or judgmental light, only
one that saw these peoples’ potential and saw it being wasted cleaning up spills to earn minimum
wage.
Upon seeing this, I realized that my plans were leading towards that reality. I had few ideas of
what I would be doing after graduating high school. But then, I did know one thing, that I did not
want to be working at Chocolate World for the rest of my life. I wanted what most people want:
to have the ability to make choices and to have financial freedom. The realization triggered a
change in me. I began to think more about my future and how I could get to the place I wanted to
be. The changes started small. I would pay more attention in class or put more work into an
assignment. After a while, I was dedicating myself to my pursuits in a way that I never had
before. I did a lot of thinking, research, and reflecting, and decided on the path I wanted to take
after my graduation. Chocolate World was left behind me as I began working for UPS, where I
was quickly promoted to a manger position that aligns with my career goals. Colleges occupied
my mind, and I decided to attend HACC, then transfer to a four-year school to achieve a
bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and attain a Certified Public Accountant
certificate.
The revelation that came to me after a conversation with my boss was necessary to cause the
change that I needed in my life. I now see life, success, finances, and my career from a different
perspective and actively work to live in a way that fit my ideals in each area. I have a goal of
freedom. I want to feel financially secure and enjoy my life. I hope to travel, meet new people,
and experience different cultures without the burden of debt, and I want to give that freedom to
others through my job in business and finances.