--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It didn't occur to me that I could be a…" description: "\"It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. I saw all these people around me training to be doctors, or historians, or C.E.O.'s or wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a5/john-brandon-27781_college_it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-i-could-be-a_346745.jpg" --- # It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until… ![“It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. I saw all these people around me training to be doctors, or historians, or C.E.O.'s or whatnot, and I thought, Maybe I want to be a writer.” quote by John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a5/john-brandon-27781_college_it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-i-could-be-a_346745.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a5/john-brandon-27781_college_it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-i-could-be-a_346745.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a5/john-brandon-27781_college_it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-i-could-be-a_346745.jpg) > “It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. I saw all these people around me training to be doctors, or historians, or C.E.O.'s or whatnot, and I thought, Maybe I want to be a writer.” [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑discovery can happen later; societal expectations don’t dictate personal passions. **In simple terms:** You can discover new passions at any age. Key Takeaway Explore interests beyond expectations. Themes self‑discovery career identity Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career change - education - personal growth Key Concepts social pressure late blooming Questions to Reflect On - What hidden passions might you explore? - How can you overcome external expectations? A Different Perspective Societal norms may delay recognizing true interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I used to write at home, but it didn't ever occur to me to be a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/i-used-to-write-at-home-but-it-didn-t-ever-occur-to-me-to-be-a-writer/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [I wasn't a very good writer before college. 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'I don't think I've ever even seen a gentleman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/i-m-not-a-gentleman-toby-said-i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-even-seen-a/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [ “\[he\] had learned how to force his mood, to keep himself in the middle ground, neither manic nor hopeless. He seemed a bit lighter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/he-had-learned-how-to-force-his-mood-to-keep-himself-in-the-middle/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [“He planned for his son or daughter to have three or four toys, minimal sports equipment, and a thousand books. He didn't care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/he-planned-for-his-son-or-daughter-to-have-three-or-four-toys-minimal/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [“Mr. Hibna had been misguided in trying to take the drastic alteration of his life into his own hands. As usual, the world was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/mr-hibna-had-been-misguided-in-trying-to-take-the-drastic-alteration/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [I don't think about the reader in any conscious way that impacts the writing, as far as, Hey, most readers would like this! But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/i-don-t-think-about-the-reader-in-any-conscious-way-that-impacts-the/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [I was playing sports all the time, growing up. 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Defending things."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/why-do-people-keep-doing-stuff-he-said-talking-to-himself-it-seemed/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [I know people who are really talented at writing, and they just don't ever make it happen because they're also good at other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/i-know-people-who-are-really-talented-at-writing-and-they-just-don-t/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [“Mr Hibma was sick of skinny, smelly, hormone-dazed kids staring at him and lying to him and asking him questions. He was sick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/mr-hibma-was-sick-of-skinny-smelly-hormone-dazed-kids-staring-at-him/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [The first time I took a fiction writing class was sophomore year. And I just found myself taking that extremely seriously, in a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/the-first-time-i-took-a-fiction-writing-class-was-sophomore-year-and/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [“Anybody can justify anything. It's what separates us from animals. It's a waste of time, though, isn't it-sitting around justifying when there's so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/anybody-can-justify-anything-it-s-what-separates-us-from-animals-it-s/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [Sometimes I would take Nietzsche or something. And I wouldn't read it, but more just scan the words. Sometimes I would get whatever the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/sometimes-i-would-take-nietzsche-or-something-and-i-wouldn-t-read-it/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [“The most rebellious thing a youngster can do is sit outdoors and listen to music. Sitting indoors in detention is about the least.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/the-most-rebellious-thing-a-youngster-can-do-is-sit-outdoors-and/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) [Explore all 20 John Brandon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. 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