We all have our dream careers. People work hard in college hoping to eventually live those dreams.
But as graduation draws closer for many, people start to assume their dreams simply aren’t practical anymore.
They settle, and in doing so head for what they think will be a “safe” career path, leaving their passions and dreams in the dust.
Roadtrip Nation is a group that travels around the country by RV, showing students that they don’t have to settle and that their passion is what matters most when it comes to achieving the career of their dreams.
On Thursday afternoon members of the Roadtrip Nation Campus Tour stationed a green RV by the flagpole where students could learn about an alternative way to truly discover their passions in life.
“Some don’t know what passion even is,” Nadia Nasiri, a current 2011 “Roadie,” which is someone who works to encourage students to join the Roadtrip Nation Movement, said.
By joining the movement “people really figure out what they want to do in life,” she said.
David Silverberg, another “Roadie” agrees with Nasiri.”It’s a lot about self discovery.”
Roadtrip nation began 10 years ago by four friends who had just graduated from college.
They realized the fields they pursued in college wouldn’t yield the dream careers they desired. Instead of settling and choosing a career path they felt pressured into, the friends took some credit cards, bought film equipment and an RV, and set out around the U.S. to find themselves.
As they traveled, they brought aboard other college students who felt the same way.
Together, they created the show “Roadtrip Nation,” a PBS documentary series that has been on television for 10 years.
At the flag pole “Roadies” provided a relaxing and open environment where students could learn more about Roadtrip Nation and apply for a chance to be selected for a summer trip.
Free things were given out to passerby’s including hats, brochures, posters and DVDs. According to Nasiri, the Roadtrip Nation show is currently looking for people to be on the next season.
Taylor Kral, an SMU junior, felt the opportunity to travel across the country in an RV would be a unique and exciting experience.
Inside the RV there were roadmaps upon roadmaps, heaps of Roadtrip Nation merchandise, laptops, sleeping bags, papers and food — everything the Campus Tour crew needed to spread their message.
When exiting the inside of the RV you could see “So what do you want to do with your life?” etched out above the doorway.
Before Nekeed Upshaw was accepted for a spot on one of Roadtrip Nation’s RVs, he had graduated with a degree in criminal justice from Kutztown University in Pennsylvannia.
Although he had expertise in criminal justice, he felt his true passion was elsewhere, though he didn’t know where that exactly was at the time.
“I was totally lost,” he said.
Upshaw’s trip began in Portland, Maine and ended in Costa Mesa, Calif.
The one-month trek allowed Upshaw and his team to travel a total of 4,697 miles and conduct 18 interviews with successful individuals that personally inspired each member of his crew.
“I wanted to do something profound in my life,” he said. “The trip was a whole bubble of self reflection.”
Rachel Shimizu, another “Roadie” said a favorite part of her experience was having the ability to travel and visit people who had heavily influenced her life. She also enjoyed having the opportunity to ask them where they were at her age and how they got to where they are now.
“You only have one chance,” Upshaw said. “What will you do?”
