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October, 2024

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Where you are going in life...

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KJacks
Posts: 440 - Karma: 2,329
at what point did you decide you knew what you wanted to pursue in your life (if you have made a decision)?

Im sitting here two years into a degree that i have no interest in, kinda feeling pinned by my parents into an education. And i honestly cannot decide where to go from here. Now i know there are a ton of kid in this same situation right now.
But seriously how did some of you make your decision in what to pursue.. And should i bother finishing my science degree at this time I feel like I'm just wasting my money and time at this point, but i also know i want/need an education at some point.


Jan 17 2014 3:37PM
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MilaKunis
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 3,646
I'm a math major because I want a job out of college. Simple as that.
Jan 17 2014 3:38PM
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Joshua.
Posts: 2957 - Karma: 6,230
I'm too distracted by your icon to give you legitimate advice...
Jan 17 2014 3:38PM
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Dr.Dickless
Posts: 2620 - Karma: 1,392
That sounds terrible, and you should have been a petroleum engineer
Jan 17 2014 3:39PM
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KJacks
Posts: 440 - Karma: 2,329
this was my thought originally pursuing science.. but i mean i dont want a job i cant be happy with for the rest of my life. that would just suck
Jan 17 2014 3:40PM
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fortyvalve
Posts: 1442 - Karma: 1,573
For me graphic design was something i was always messing with but never really knew as a kid/teenager i could make a career out of it, til like my senior year of high school when i took some AP design classes and fell in love with it. Took a year off after to work an internship in the field and it confirmed my choice so now I'm getting my degree then pursuing a job in the ski industry. Only way to find out what you want to do is either firsthand experience or at the least seeing something you really like then pursuing it. No point in doing something you don't want to do in my eyes, that's how you lose yourself and end up that unhappy grumpy guy who regrets everything he's done
Jan 17 2014 3:42PM
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Wizerd
Posts: 908 - Karma: 6,695
I'm still in High School, but I hope to take Business/Finance in College so I can try and get a good job out of College to start paying off loans and such.
Jan 17 2014 3:42PM
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SFB
Posts: 8895 - Karma: 26,352
im hoping to go into the field of dildo engineering.
Jan 17 2014 3:43PM
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Dr.Dickless
Posts: 2620 - Karma: 1,392
So your only goal is to pay off loans you'll incur by going to college? You're silly
Jan 17 2014 3:44PM
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ski.the.yeast
Posts: 1007 - Karma: 33
Sophomore in college now and im on my way to pursing this degree. I feel where your coming form
Jan 17 2014 3:47PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
I hear its a hard business to get in.
Jan 17 2014 3:47PM
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courtneyyy
Posts: 91 - Karma: 40
To be honest, I'm in graduate school now, and there's still several paths I think I could go down once I finish my degree. I think it definitely is a lot of trial and error, like someone else said. I switched majors in college because I hated what I picked the first time, and now I'm definitely a lot more interested in what I'm studying. Still don't know where exactly I'll end up, but it might be worth it to see if there's any way you could switch majors into something you'd find more interesting and worth your time. I think it's important that you finish your degree, though.

Honestly, when you get out of college, it seems like a lot of places don't care as much about what specific degree you have; it's more about if you have one (like BA, BS, MS). I know a lot of people that graduated with an English degree and went into finance; or graduated with a science degree and ended up working in sales. I suppose it depends where you're applying for jobs and everything, so it might be worth looking into a bit more before you stop your degree or jump ship...

Just my own two cents.
Jan 17 2014 3:55PM
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KJacks
Posts: 440 - Karma: 2,329
i just have a really hard time putting a ton of effort into something if i dont have passion for it. and lately i have really found myself with no real direction and having trouble applying myself. As much of a little bitch as that makes me sound its put me in a weird situation in my head
Jan 17 2014 4:03PM
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MilaKunis
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 3,646
Nah cause I actually like math. Plus I don't need grad school and if I do go I can get it paid for.
Jan 17 2014 4:04PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37360 - Karma: 119,724
So dumb that ppl go into a field they like


but for real, have a few more months of HS then I'm hoping to become a hospitality major
Jan 17 2014 4:08PM
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,175
I'm in the same boat OP. I got a 2 year AA degree and went into a rec major but there isn't any opportunity in it. I dropped out for this semester to try to figure out what to do but I really don't know. I'm looking in marketing or advertising but I'm not sure which to pursue.
Jan 17 2014 4:37PM
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dvx100
Posts: 1884 - Karma: 4,819
im going skiing
Jan 17 2014 4:47PM
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Willgum
Posts: 3254 - Karma: 3,066
me too lets go skiing
Jan 17 2014 4:59PM
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Wallisch_pl
Posts: 5260 - Karma: 1,022
Shut the fuck up
Jan 17 2014 5:01PM
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TheSkiingBlader
Posts: 131 - Karma: 993
I find myself thinking the same thing and it starts to depress me when I realize I probably won't do anything ski related with a clinical psych degree. Try to find something your passionate about and the rest will take care of itself brotha i promise! We all have a purpose here
Jan 17 2014 5:11PM
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dabsandskis
Posts: 91 - Karma: 244
My father and almost every male in my family were into horticulture , when I was young I was more interested on what's happening in the plants and the uses we could take advantage of for the better of humanity so I began organic chemistry classes at 12 and now have a comfortable job and get to travel alot. I got lucky and found what I loved when I was young and people to help me pursue my dream, you just find the thing you love most and never stop pursuing that goal.
Jan 17 2014 5:31PM
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chickenhuntin
Posts: 26 - Karma: 29
in ur mums poon
Jan 17 2014 5:32PM
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snowpocalypse
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 3,525
So far all you have stated is that you don't like science, Well what do you like. What are you going to do if you drop out? Where is your passion? Parents want to know that you have a plan, if not school what then? Think about what the next step will be. Don't be like ehv and live in your parents basement sitting on the computer all day. Yet if school is not for you, there are good careers out there that don't require college but come up with a plan before dropping out.
Jan 17 2014 5:39PM
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NotoriousT.S.E
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 439
Junior econ major at a decent school. Want to get into commercial real estate for a couple years then maybe get a masters in finance.
Jan 17 2014 6:00PM
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JDA
Posts: 572 - Karma: 566
Studying Geology, and doing some work for Rio Tinto. However at the moment I am drunk sat watching a film
Jan 17 2014 6:13PM
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soulskier
Posts: 17806 - Karma: 3,841
Do what makes you happy, unless it's professional booby testing...doubt there's money in that
Jan 17 2014 6:44PM
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bigbromskier
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 330
if there's one thing that drives me insane it's this whole contemporary notion that you have to go to college. college is an extremely worthy investment if you're excited by what you're studying, but if you aren't enthusiastic and just going because of social conventions/outside influence then there are lots of other things to do with yourself. why rack up tens of thousands of dollars in debt that you can't possibly pay off without a solid job afterwards?

it's easy to get stuck in the rut, but there's nothing wrong with working low paying jobs and just cruising. it's called life and it's not always about making good money at fancy jobs, it's more important to have good experiences with good people, which doesn't depend on money, but on optimism and open-mindedness.

if you're over your major and aren't interested in the classes, tell your parents that you'll be better off trying something else out. you can spend, what, 5k? 10k? on a semester at school, or survive perfectly fine on 10 bucks an hour until you eventually get sick of it and hopefully come to a place where you discover something more worth studying. go explore, do something you've never done before, befriend someone with a good attitude.

you're young and the most worthwhile opportunities come from unexpected experiences.
Jan 17 2014 7:03PM
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chickenhuntin
Posts: 26 - Karma: 29
i like to troll
Jan 17 2014 7:05PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
Don't drop out. And keep your science degree and minor in something you like. I recently graduated last year and have been struggling with the same things you are. After a year out, I realized that while having passion is important, it shouldn't control your life. I spent so much time trying to follow my passion and I realized it kind of made me miserable. Sometimes passions are better as just that, passions. It was easy in college when my parents were helping with tuition to say "Yeah, I need to follow my passion, screw security".

Yet a year after graduating I am slowly figuring out that maybe what I want is a career I'm interested in, and have my photography and writing as a hobby that someday I might turn it into something more. My background is creative writing, but I minored in exercise science because i also really liked that. So I have most prerequisites for graduate school in a science related field because I realized I didn't want to just survive for the rest of my life and have to always be asking my parents for money. It all depends on who you are as a person. IF you are okay with living off your parents hard work for 10 years or so, then yes maybe following your passion is a good call.

This is all assuming you're passion is non-scientific. Maybe you just need to find the right application for science. There's tons of stuff, which is why I say keep it. Doing something and being able to live off of it sounds a lot more enjoyable then following my passion and not being my own man. Doing something, anything, is alot better than being a bum and skiing all day. It's not giving up on your dreams, its' just adjusting your dreams and fitting them into a reality where they are manageable. Feel free to PM or anything, I've really been struggling with this shit too. I wish I was like one of those kids who knows at age 10 what they want to do.
Jan 17 2014 8:08PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11661 - Karma: 24,362
Thats not trolling you stupid cunt
Jan 17 2014 8:20PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10627 - Karma: 7,423
A wooden cabin on the side of a mountain. Seriously though, thats kind of all i want out of my life, and a lot of gasoline.
Jan 17 2014 8:22PM
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chickenhuntin
Posts: 26 - Karma: 29
tell your mum i said thanks.
Jan 17 2014 8:25PM
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Dr.Dealgood
Posts: 2587 - Karma: 1,352
I definitely felt that way myself OP. It's a frustrating place to be, it can really eat at you.

I started out as a journalism major but jumped ship two years in after the whole death of newspapers talk started going on. Of course, journalism has completely reinvented itself since.

I ended up graduating as a communication major. I didn't specialize in media, but took a more classical route focusing on rhetoric and language. Basically a philosophy degree in different clothes. It hasn't landed me a nice job or anything, but it definitely helped to make me a very strong critical thinker and exposed me to a lot of ideas. So, I was intellectually satisfied by it which I think is the real reason you should go to college. Not for elaborate and very expensive job training.

I graduated satisfied and happy but with little "professional" job possibilities. And went back to work as a landscaper and gardener. I've always loved plants and have a knack for it. But it doesn't really pay all that well. I started to get pretty fascinated by land-use and how we interact/think about the environment, which lead to my current desire to be a landscape architect. I found a way to connect my horticulture background with a sense of purpose that still, in many ways, relies on the skillsets I developed in my undergrad.

I guess what I'm getting at is it often becomes a slow evolution and eventually you'll know what you want to do. In the meantime, take up a hobby, develop a skill, get a workbench and session that shit. Time and taking opportunities can do a lot. Experiment.

My advice would be to try and finish your degree.
Take some out-of-discipline classes in something you're interested in.
Once you're done take some time off if you can.
And, maybe think about trades? There are a lot of schools and programs out there that will train or teach you how to do something from glassblowing or graphic design to welding to woodwork to pretty much anything. Even beyond trades.

Just keep experimenting.
Jan 17 2014 8:34PM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
I didn't really know what I wanted to do either and I became a resort working ski bum. I don't think college out of high school is a very good idea. Not many kids know what they want to do and are trying to be an adult. After a bit of bumming I have a general idea of what I want to do and have developed into a adult who can actually handle a job. You would be surprised at how crappy out of college kids are at working especially physically.
Jan 17 2014 8:35PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
out of high school i had no idea, so i took the year off spent time in norway and ended up moving back to the states to work and ski bum around the nw/bc this winter. in my time off i really got more of an idea what i want to go into/get a degree in. i highly doubt i will actually end up working in whatever field i get a degree in. in light of some recent events in my life it has really changed my perspective on what is necessary for me to be happy. imo it's all about what you want out of your life. because you can make it what you want
Jan 17 2014 8:42PM
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swaggerwaggon
Posts: 10 - Karma: 29
I've switched my major like five times, all of them have been bullshit degrees too. I have come to accept that I will probably always be poor and hve a bad job because I have zero ambition
Jan 17 2014 8:54PM
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WaffleMaster
Posts: 661 - Karma: 5,565
They say "Do what you love"...
Yeah, no college-educated job really appeals to me so imma just do whatever either A) is outdoors or B) has most vacation time/ least hours
Jan 17 2014 9:16PM
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Randy_Quench
Posts: 5447 - Karma: 4,343
currently a 3rd year college student. just finally declared business administration as my major and honestly don't have feelings for my studies whatsoever. All I know is I will have some options after graduation when I know what I actually want to do.
Jan 17 2014 9:26PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
a very underrated field imo is surveying. you can get jobs all over the world if you work for a big enough firm or get a job in a foreign country. every work day youre outside.
Jan 17 2014 9:32PM
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NotoriousT.S.E
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 439
Unfortunately life is pretty much all about money. You obviously don't have to a millionaire, but even a simple life is fucking expensive, and it's probably going to get a lot worse.
Jan 17 2014 9:54PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
I need two more courses to graduate with a degree in geophysics.

Instead of doing that I am taking another year of physics and then deciding if I want to get a straight up physics degree and go to grad school right away, or a geophysics degree, go work for a bit, and then return to grad school later.

basically I have no idea where I am going in life.
Jan 17 2014 10:10PM
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pigglywiggly
Posts: 4482 - Karma: 305
yessir. just switched my major from chemical engineering to petroleum engineering yesterday. pumped.
Jan 17 2014 10:15PM
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Toaster-Tony
Posts: 3531 - Karma: 5,850
mods:

any way you guys can make it so someone can have negative karma?
Jan 17 2014 10:32PM
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Craigskis
Posts: 6650 - Karma: 1,645
This isn't the company i'm working for but this is more or less what I'm driving except I've got a triaxel Pete Tractor. I'm transporting bulk Liquid Nitrogen.

I'm just going one day at a time at the moment where they tell me to go.

Click for larger image
Jan 17 2014 10:36PM
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-WZ-
Posts: 3600 - Karma: 6,582
second last year of highschool and im starting to really freak out. I have no idea what i want to do in life, all i know is that i will HATE any job that has me locked inside the same office everyday. Luckily, i have very high grades so i could honestly move towards whatever profession i choose but at the same time this makes it even harder to pick something. I want to go to college/uni but i have no idea what i should take... fuck
Jan 18 2014 12:38AM
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CassiusClay
Posts: 1757 - Karma: 2
Agreed. Your career path is not dependent upon your studies, especially in undergrad. Companies aren't looking for the perfect fit for a job, they're looking for the perfect fit for their culture/company/you still better be able to perform in that role. While I'm a finance/Econ geek that drools over economic reports, most of my colleagues didn't come from the same background, but they still love it.

You don't have to chose a major /classes that don't fit you but you may later, down the road find a career path that connects well due to skills you've received via hard work in another field.

My two cents is work your ass off at whatever you do while you're young. It'll pay off in spades.
Jan 18 2014 12:43AM
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Halo1junkie
Posts: 202 - Karma: 435
Math majors actually dont have that good of job prospects. Its all about engineering
Jan 18 2014 12:45AM
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panojibber.
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 683
Yeah definitely look into this. Don't be afraid to get a 2 year diploma from a technical institute. There's great money to be made in those careers if you go into the right field.
Jan 18 2014 12:46AM
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Willgum
Posts: 3254 - Karma: 3,066
That video on the front page...

https://www.newschoolers.com/watch/684704.0/Outside-My-Front-Door?c=2

Thats all i really need in life. I know that shit costs alot of money, but seeing people who have done it really helps.
Jan 18 2014 1:05AM
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Halo1junkie
Posts: 202 - Karma: 435
If all else fails you can move back home with the rest of the boomerang generation
Jan 18 2014 1:34AM
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