How College Led Me to Consider an Unconventional Career Path

Many people go to college believing they must know exactly what they want to do with their life—or at least that’s how I felt. At eighteen years old, I began my journey at Cumberlands, thinking I had to know exactly what the rest of my life would look like. But in reality? I had no idea what I wanted to do! I thought my lack of post-graduation plans meant life would end after college. Thankfully, freshman me had it entirely wrong. Take my advice: whether you know it or not, your life plan can find you in the most unexpected ways.

When I first started college, I thought I would one day move to a big city and work as an editor for a publishing company. But that plan changed over time. Somewhere along the way, I added a marketing major, which led to me learning about the career path of a Peanutter. At this point, you might be asking yourself, “What in the world is a Peanutter??” Let me explain!

One day, I was sitting in one of my marketing classes when, outside the window, I saw a ginormous peanut on wheels pull into a parking spot. The door opened, and out stepped three college-aged students dressed to the brim in Planters Peanuts apparel. My class patiently waited as the speakers made their way into the classroom. As they began their presentation, I listened intently to what they had to say. After spending several minutes learning about networking opportunities, incredible benefits, and career development, I was totally inspired—I knew right then and there where I wanted to go after college. The guest speakers explained that Planters Peanuts has a college graduate program where they pick three applicants to travel the country in the Peanut Mobile, running the company’s social media and being the spokesperson for Mr. Peanut.

Yes, I understand this is an unconventional dream job. But I desperately hope to one day get the position! How cool would it be to drive a Peanut Mobile around the country while meeting new people and networking throughout almost every state? The crazy thing is, I have been preparing for this position throughout my entire college career without even knowing it.

During my freshman year, I got a work-study job in the college’s Communications and Marketing department. Most of my role involves helping with the campus social media. During my sophomore year of college, I became a double major in marketing and communications. Throughout my time in school, I have taken classes focused on creating and curating social media content. These are all things that work together to make me more qualified to be a Peanutter!

All this to say, there are hundreds of jobs out there—some you’re already aware of and some that you’ll discover along the way. If there’s something to take away from my story, it’s this: college is a time of discovery. You are not supposed to know exactly where your future will lead, so it is okay to be unsure! Young adults feel so much unnecessary pressure to know their entire life plan right after high school. Though you should be intentional with your academic and career endeavors, embrace uncertainty and keep an open mind. You might discover that you want to be something you never would have expected… like a Peanutter!