<p>i'm feeling very depressed lately. i am about to graduate in 2 years, and i know i can't major in anything like engineering or business. i feel like i'm stuck in the humanities field. out of last resort, i chose english. (well i applied for a math minor, and thinking of philosophy, but right now, the main major is english). well, i also wanted to know how to "read" and "write", but this major is worrying me like crazy. i don't have any specific and special skills to get me a decent job when i graduate. this is one of the reasons why people think it's useless to go to college. i don't want to go to law school either. and i don't know what to do with myself once i graduate. my bf tells me to just not worry and that when the time comes, i'll find something. but this depresses me even more. i like to have a back up, but right now, i basically have nothing. i don't know what i should do, and the counselors at school is only supposed to give me information so that i can make my own decisions. well, i don't want to feel like i wasted my time in college, so i have to major in something worthwhile. but,,, i don't know anymore. i don't know if i want to do something practical, or if i even enjoy abstract subjects. i am very depressed and have a headache.</p>
<p>Don't feel down. Major in something like biology whereby the material (biology, chemistry, etc) is all in a book and you can read it over and over.</p>
<p>Concrete class material is best.</p>
<p>why can't you just switch your major?</p>
<p>I strongly suggest that you talk to your college's career counseling service, which has staff members trained to help students figure out what to do in exactly the kind of situation that you're in. This includes giving students assessments so that the students learn what fields match their sklls and interests, and what they would need to do to enter those fields.</p>
<p>If you do an Internet search, you'll find that regardless of your major, you'll be far more equipped to get a "decent job" with a college degree than with only a high school degree. Every year of higher education that a person has boosts their income.</p>
<p>I don't know why you think that only fields like engineering and business are "worthwhile" or what you even mean by "worthwhile," but one certainly can find careers that support oneself without a science or business major.</p>
<p>Also, now for many fields, graduate school and and at least one internshp are required before people have the skills and experience to get decent jobs. Your career service can give you more information.</p>
<p>You also can do Internet searches to find out what kind of jobs English majors go into. Interestingly, there are many companies that like to hire Engish majors and humanities majors because of the high reading, verbal and critical thinking skills that those majors develop.</p>
<p>huh? Are you really, really good at English? Do you go to a half decent school?</p>
<p>If yes, don't buy into the hype about having to do hard sciences. I know plenty of people making 6 figure incomes solely off their writing ability. How? Editing and organizing other people's ideas. Most people really can't write well.</p>
<p>Trust me, english is better than communications, sociology or marketing IF you're genuinely talented. And this is coming from a very greedy econ/math double major.</p>
<p>If you really want to make money-go into web publishing even if you're only making a little money. Work your way up, show leadership ability, and get an MBA. You will be able to get into a top program because not many people from your field apply. This is why I WOULD take some math classes. This will show some quant ability and prep you for the GMAT. Being well rounded will work in your favor.</p>
<p>Possible fields right out of school include:
Public Relations firms
Editing
Publishing
Web content creation
Industry Blogging (recent field)
Journalism
Teaching
Print advertising
Sales/marketing</p>
<p>I knew wutangfinancial had little-man syndrome. He's an econ double major and he's 5'6", hah.</p>
<p>thanks. that makes me feel slightly better. i wouldn't say i'm the best, but i'm pretty decent at writing. i haven't heard many compliments on anything else i've done, which is also one of the reasons why i went into writing, which lead to english. i think i'm feeling so depressed because i really want to make some money right now, and people never follow up. this makes me feel like my future financial path will always be unstable. and that they might follow up if i had a more specific skill. i really wanted a real job, but i'm usually only temporary or on-call. i hate that.</p>
<p>I'm 5'9, for the record. I spent today dancing outdoors at an electronic music festival with beautiful women in bikinis, all of us intoxicated. I'm thinking about taking a year off to party and make electronic music with no purpose other than to have enriching life experiences.</p>
<p>Deluxe hardballer spent the day in his room thinking about how much he hates women and how he will enslave them all when he is rich.</p>
<p>"Only after we've lost everything we're free to do anything"</p>
<p>Put money and financial woes aside for now. If you love writing, then by all means continue to do it. Ur bf is right, your future cannot be decided by your major. If you work hard, despite your major, success will come knocking on your door.</p>
<p>I've been studying for my chemistry exam on Thursday, actually.</p>
<p>Turns out I only need a 50 to get an A. I study for because it is fun and I want to master chemistry.</p>
<p>i really can't help but worry. i grew up poor, and i don't want to be poor anymore. i don't want to be poor forever. i feel like people who tell me not to worry are only saying that because they don't need to worry. they have their parents to buy stuff they need and want. there's so much pressure at home for me to come straight out of college and make money b/c i'm the only person who have gone to college. i intended to make some money this summer so i can invest in some stocks, but i can't even find a job.</p>
<p>I studied English Lit., and I am happy with where my career went. I never experienced not finding at least some job, but that's 'cause during the really difficult stage (ie, during or right after college) I moved out of the country. I came back for grad school. While overseas, I leveraged my abilities with English to learn new things: computers, economics, Asia. I think the lesson is to broaden your horizons and skills. The easiest place to do that is college, so pick something you are interested in other than writing and dive into it, even if it doesn't seem practical. And otherwise, do what other people suggested. Oh, and if you can stomach thinking about business, why don't you go to one of those summer intensive courses where you learn the basics? The one I know if as at Berkeley and is called BASE. Good luck.</p>
<p>4321234, I also say don't worry....but with a point of view you can relate to. I also grew up "poor" (i.e. electric cut off more than once). I've learned to live very fruggally. Now, I'm a 30 year old returning student hoping to show my 3 children the importance of getting an education and maybe make some decent money for once. I tried an accounting degree but hated it, so I've now worked my way into University of Michigan and am pursuing a major in Classics. Will it be useful aside from the skills like reading, writing, and analyzing well....maybe not. But it might turn out very well. Do what you love, career opportunities will likely turn up where you least expect them. A "useful" degree is no guarantee. One of my friends became a CPA and was fired a week before she found out she was pregnant (so pregnant, child to support with no income, loss of health insurance at a critical time, and almost lost her house). My sis has a business degree and is being cut back to a barely liveable wage due to company financial problems. No degree is failproof and more importantly, no degree is completely useless. If you do what you love you'll excel and chances are good you won't have to worry about being "poor" the rest of your life.</p>
<p>if you have any interest in it, you could be a teacher. one of my good friends is going to be an english major because she is passionate for the subject and would love to spend the rest of her life spreading that to others. teachers will never be raking in the big bucks but you do get a steady salary.</p>
<p>however, please dont just "settle" on teaching because you think theres nothing else to do with your degree. that leads to a spiteful teacher, which isnt great for anyone. go to advising sessions, look for what kind of summer internships are being offered to english majors</p>