Girl, Your Future Awaits: What Do You See? is an inspiring story of courage, passion, and self-discovery, following 16-year-old Andy as she navigates the pressure of choosing her future career. While her friends seem certain about their paths, Andy feels torn, doubting whether her love for baking could ever become more than a hobby.
When she enters a community baking contest, Andy takes a bold leap of faith. Winning the contest sets her on an unexpected journeyâan appearance on a local TV show, opportunities to showcase her skills, and a clearer vision of her dreams. Yet, pursuing her passion is far from easy. Andy must overcome self-doubt, balance her responsibilities, and earn her familyâs support.
Through determination, friendship, and courage, Andy discovers that the sweetest success often comes from following your heart. Her story is a testament to dreaming big, embracing the journey, and creating a future that reflects your unique passions.
Perfect for teens seeking direction, this book will inspire readers to trust their instincts, persevere through challenges, and never give up on what truly makes them happy. Andyâs journey proves that daring to dream can lead to a life as fulfilling as it is unexpected.
Girl, Your Future Awaits: What Do You See? is an inspiring story of courage, passion, and self-discovery, following 16-year-old Andy as she navigates the pressure of choosing her future career. While her friends seem certain about their paths, Andy feels torn, doubting whether her love for baking could ever become more than a hobby.
When she enters a community baking contest, Andy takes a bold leap of faith. Winning the contest sets her on an unexpected journeyâan appearance on a local TV show, opportunities to showcase her skills, and a clearer vision of her dreams. Yet, pursuing her passion is far from easy. Andy must overcome self-doubt, balance her responsibilities, and earn her familyâs support.
Through determination, friendship, and courage, Andy discovers that the sweetest success often comes from following your heart. Her story is a testament to dreaming big, embracing the journey, and creating a future that reflects your unique passions.
Perfect for teens seeking direction, this book will inspire readers to trust their instincts, persevere through challenges, and never give up on what truly makes them happy. Andyâs journey proves that daring to dream can lead to a life as fulfilling as it is unexpected.
It all began in the fall semester of her junior year in high school. Andy, a 16-year-old, had returned to school after a great summer break. As she walked through the school hallways, she was feeling excited to see all her classmates, but also anxious about the new school year. She realized that college applications were looming, and she needed to figure out what was next for her after high school. It seemed like most of her friends had a plan and were certain about their paths after high school. She remembered her grandma telling her that she should always follow her heart, but how could she do that? Andy was feeling overwhelmed.
At lunch, Andy sat down with her friends and the entire conversation was about college and career plans. She listened intently as her friends shared their career goals. One planned on becoming a doctor and another had a dream to become a lawyer. Andy began to feel doubtful about her future, as she didnât know what she wanted to do. She kept silent and didnât engage in the conversations, which was unlike her usual chatty self.
After school, Andy had a conversation with her mom, who casually asked her if she had given any more thought to her future plans. Her mom suggested that she might want to consider more practical paths like medicine, law or business as these careers would offer her stability and a good income. Andy felt pressure to decide, but also guilty for feeling that those paths were not right for her. She started to wonder if her passion for baking could become a serious enough career.
That night, Andy retreated to her room. She pulled out her journal and started to write about her dreams and her worries. She reflected on how baking made her feel creative and happy. But she couldnât shake the feeling that it was not âgood enoughâ or an unrealistic career choice. Andy felt torn between wanting to follow her passion and meeting her familyâs expectations.
At school the next day, Andyâs teacher announced that there would be a college and career fair later in the week. She encouraged the students to explore different pathways and to think seriously about their futures. Andy was feeling curious, but also anxious about attending the college fair. She wanted to explore the various options that would be presented, but she dreaded the pressure of making a decision. After hearing about the college fair, one of Andyâs classmates asked her about her plans. Andy just shrugged her shoulders. Whenever someone asked her what she would be doing after high school, her stomach got into knots.
After class, Andy looked for her best friend since 1st grade, Erica, in the study hall. Erica asked, âWhat is the matter, Andy? You donât seem like your usual self.â Andy replied, âIâm thinking about what I want to do after high school.â Andy asked Erica, âDo you know what you want to be when you grow up?â Erica said, âYes, I think Iâve decided. I love being around children and want to be a teacher like my mom. But Iâm not set on what age group I want to teach as yet. I plan to attend university and major in English. How about you, Andy?â Andy replied, âI am just not sure. My mom thinks I should pursue a serious career like medicine or law. I think my parents are planning some college trips this summer. Maybe that will help me decide.â Erica said, âDonât worry, Andy, youâll figure it out soon. Just keep your options open and collect all the information you can find.â
Andy could always count on her best friend Erica to be encouraging. Would she really figure this out? The idea of keeping her options open felt overwhelming as there were just too many choices, and none seemed to fit. The girls each headed off to their next class, and Andy walked down the school hallway. Her mind was still swirling with uncertainty, and she secretly hoped that Erica was right, that she would figure it all out.
At the end of the school day, Andy headed home on the school bus. She stared out the window during the bus drive and wondered what being a chef, businessperson, or talk show host would be like. There was a big world out there waiting for her, and she wanted to make sure she pursued a career that satisfied her, not just what her parents or friends wanted her to pursue. Andy thought more about it, and she realized how much pressure she was feeling to please everyone else. Her friends seemed so sure about their futures, and her parents had clear expectations. Andy wanted to find something that felt right for her, even if she was going to take a path no one expected.
Andy scrolled through her Instagram feed during the bus ride, and she felt even more unsure when she saw her friendsâ posts about college visits, career goals, and scholarships. She wondered if she should focus more on traditional career paths like her friends. Every post showed someone who had it all figured out, and Andy felt like she was falling behind. Seeing all of her friendsâ success stories made her doubt her path even more. Andy couldnât help but wonder if chasing her own interests, like baking, would ever be as âseriousâ as what her friends were aiming for.
At dinner that evening, her mom asked, âHow was your day at school?â Andy replied, âIt was okay, Mom. Erica and I chatted about what we each want to do after high school and what careers we want to pursue. She seems pretty set on becoming a teacher. Mom, do you think I could one day open a restaurant?â Andyâs mom said, âBefore you make a decision, you should attend the college fair, as it will give you a clearer picture of more serious careers to pursue.â Andyâs dad joined the conversation and suggested, âBusiness would be a good option for you, Andy, as you are very creative and good with details.â Andy knew that her parents meant well, but the pressure and weight of her parentsâ expectations felt overwhelming. She agreed to go to the fair, as she thought it could help her to at least narrow down her options.
The day of the college fair arrived, and Andy was feeling a mix of hope and pressure. She entered the crowded gym, which was filled with booths and representatives from various colleges and programs. Andy didnât realize there would be so many choices and wasnât sure where she should start. She walked around and stopped by many of the tables. Andy sighed as she picked up some colorful brochures and flipped through them. None of the options so far had appealed to her. Andy eventually came across a booth for a culinary school, and she was now really interested. She listened to the presenter talk about the world of professional baking and the culinary arts. She felt a spark of excitement as she picked up the brochure for the culinary school. Andy wondered if this could be the answer she had been searching for. However, she was still somewhat hesitant about taking it seriously. Andy headed to the study hall and sat beside Erica. Andy told Erica about her excitement as she picked up the brochure from the culinary school booth and that she wasnât even sure if she wanted to attend a traditional college. Erica was intrigued by Andyâs response, but she was supportive and encouraged Andy to look into it further to see if that was something she loved and wanted to do as a career. Andy felt relieved to have her best friendâs support, but she still wondered if this was realistic.
As Andy headed home, she began to think that maybe her love for baking could lead to her future path, but she just didnât know how yet. Andy flipped through the stack of brochures she had picked up from the college fair, but she spent most of her time reviewing the one she had picked up from the culinary school. Andy kept looking at the colorful images of chefs working in bustling kitchens, some beautifully plated desserts, and students learning in a hands-on environment. She felt a spark of excitement, but she quickly pushed it aside as she thought, âThis isnât practical. Mom and Dad would never go for it.â
The next day, Andy met Erica before school and told her that after reading through the brochures again at home, she felt that culinary school would be the best option for her. Erica responded and said, âThat sounds amazing, Andy! Youâve always been incredible at baking, so why not think about it seriously as a career?â Andy smiled and replied, âI would really like to go to culinary school, but I am not sure if my parents would support the idea.â âThey want something moreâŚacademic,â she said with a big sigh.
Andyâs teacher, Mrs. Turner, noticed that Andy seemed distracted and not her usual self in English class. After class, Mrs. Turner asked if everything was okay. Andy hesitated, then shared the uncertainty she was feeling about her future. Mrs. Turner listened, gave Andy a thoughtful smile, and encouraged Andy to pursue what she loved to do by saying, âSometimes the path that we are meant to follow isnât the one that others expect us to take. You must find the courage to follow your own path.â
Andy decided to bake a batch of her favorite chocolate chip cookies that evening as a way to de-stress and unwind from the pressure she was feeling. As she measured, mixed the ingredients, and baked, she felt a sense of calm and focus. Once the cookies were ready, Andy left them to cool on a baking rack and headed up to her room. When Andy wasnât doing her schoolwork, she watched YouTube videos about baking and tried making different recipes each weekend. Was baking really just a hobby, or could it be something more? She imagined herself teaching others how to bake, just like the YouTubers she admired but dismissed the idea as unrealistic.
As Andy lay in bed, she wondered if she should become a doctor since that would make her family proud. Some of her friends had already decided to go to medical school. The sight of blood had always made her queasy, and she thought about the years of studying that would be required. Andy tried to picture herself in a white coat, but the idea felt distant and uncomfortable. She knew her family would be thrilled, but deep down, she wasnât sure if she had the passion or stomach for it. The more she thought about it, the more the idea of spending years in a career she didnât love felt like a heavy burden. The thought of pursuing a career in baking lingered in the back of her mind as she finally drifted off to sleep much later that evening.
18
âSometimes the path we are meant to follow isnât the one that others expect us to take. You must find the courage to follow your own path.â
Girl, your future awaits, what do you see? follows a high school student named Andy, who struggles to choose a future career path for herself. She hesitates between following her dreams to become a baker or to please her parents and family by choosing a more âpracticalâ path.
As someone who is going through the same process as Andy, I found it refreshing to read a book about someone struggling and seeing how she approaches her problems so that I could possibly do the same in my own life. Unlike Andy, I know what I want to study, however the book was still extremely relatable. I think this is the case for every adolescent who reads it and they are able to see some of theirselves in Andy as it focuses on the struggle of choosing your future.
I absolutely loved how after every chapter there was a spot to reflect on how the reader would approach the situation. It makes the book much more personal to the person reading it.
Girl, your future awaits, what do you see? has such a beautiful effect on the reader as it feels as if the narrator is talking directly to you and that you know Andy personally, making it so lovely to follow her along her journey and the struggles she faces. This really emerges the reader into the story, as well as the beautiful drawings added.
I was not a huge fan of the writing style, as I found it was quite childish, especially since the book is directed to high schoolers.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to any teenager deciding their future paths, whether they do or do not know what they want to do.