I hate my job.

I’ve uttered this phrase more times than I can count. It seems like every new position leaves me anxious for the next.

But peeking through these convictions, one true lesson has emerged: as I attempt to find my true path in this expansive yet elusive job market, the jobs, internships and other opportunities I throw myself into are all just an exercise in curiosity.

Instead of jumping to pessimism, students should view each opportunity they don’t enjoy as a step toward finding the one they love. Discovering what you don’t like should be just as important as discovering what you love.

In college, there have been a few different careers I’ve explored as possible futures. Positive an economics double major would be my ticket to success, I interned at a bank in my hometown. I took an introductory economics course at the same time. Not only did I hate supply and demand curves, I also discovered I had no interest in the loan applications and balance sheets piling up in my cubicle.

The next summer, I found myself at the same bank and working part time at a UCLA research institute. Still toying with a future in finance but also experimenting with research, I discovered a new world at the intersection of academia and public policy.

But just like loan applications and balance sheets, I felt my eyes go glassy as I trudged through mountains of data. I learned a career in academia and research might not be my path, either.

Each of these internships may not have been in a field I see myself pursuing. But at this stage of my life, that’s not the point. Maybe the point, instead, is curiosity.

One job stands out in my mind with a positive connotation: being a barista at Starbucks.

Customer service is a path I am drawn to, despite all the time I spend scrolling through internship listings on Handshake or reading LinkedIn posts from peers thrilled to announce new, prestigious titles. I love being on my feet, finding a fast-paced routine that makes the time fly or chatting with a stranger for just the right amount of time to make their drink.

And “hating my jobs” doesn’t mean they were a waste of my time. It means I’m checking off the boxes in a laundry list of possible careers, coming closer to the one that is perfect for me. Every now and again, I will find jobs with aspects I love, like being a barista.

At such a large school filled with the most ardent overachievers from every hometown, securing that legal internship or lab assistant position can be harder than it sounds. So instead of looking for that perfect title to add to their resume, I invite students to explore a variety of careers. Now is the best time to be curious – and if you’re lucky, you’ll find a pearl.

[Related: Opinion: Finding an internship feels impossible. UCLA must fix that]

Every job you hate is just another arrow pointing you in a direction closer to your true north.

And each opportunity, no matter your love or hatred for it, offers a new skill set that makes you a valuable, interesting applicant. Interning at a bank gave me experience reading tax returns, which allowed me to secure a new job in the fall in the public sector helping people understand their taxes.

Through it all, the career I have tentatively settled on pursuing is law. I love learning about the law, and I want to work with and help people – a lesson I learned at Starbucks.

But, who knows. I have yet to intern at a law firm, and I might hate that job as much as I did the previous ones.

So, incoming freshmen, as you confront the looming monster that is internships, let curiosity guide your search.