Readers' Rite

Career choices can be a more controversial topic to bring up at a family dinner than politics. For instance, the eldest child announcing their decision to not take over the family business can send the patriarch into cardiac arrest: generations full of doctors could be moved to tears if a grandchild puts down a deposit to a theater program. My question is, why does what someone does for the rest of their life feel like such a big deal to people to whom it does not concern? Making such a large decision is not easy, and the fear that the people in your life won’t approve just makes it harder. When making a career decision for yourself, just focus on a few things: happiness, stability and longevity. Keep those things in mind, and remember that what is good for you is the most important.

• Marissa Burr

After my time as an undergraduate, I would like to pursue an LLM (Master of Laws) degree in maritime law in one of the few law schools that offer Maritime Law. There are only about 3-4 of these schools in the United States, and they are also sparse outside the United States. A dream career of mine would be to work as a lawyer for the International Maritime Organization: they are based in London on the south side of the Thames. It would certainly be a goal for me to end up there. If not, I would be more than content working as an attorney practicing maritime law. I find it completely fascinating — I enjoy the research process and have a knack for finding information no matter where it is. I also immensely enjoy reading and understanding the various cases I have read. This is truly a dream of mine.

• Lucas R. Watson