<p>Okay, so my major is anthropology and while I find it really interesting to learn about, I'm just not someone who wants to be in academia (which is what most anthropologists do, at least at some point in their life). I'm also not a big fan of writing papers, which you pretty much have to do to be in the field (publishing research and such), because I think my writing sounds like crap. And I don't have a particular field of anthropology or subject that I'm really into and want to do research on, anyway. I can't change my major now, since I am about to be a senior (plus I only changed into anthropology last year, so I'm already a little behind and struggling to graduate on time next may). Basically, I just want to be done with undergrad because school is starting to drag me down and I can't imagine staying longer than the one more year I have left now. I know that people get into fields not having to do with their specific degrees sometimes, and I was wondering how often that happens? The only things that I know I really want to do is living/working abroad (considering the BUNAC program right now for when I graduate), and I am also very interested in the peace corps as well. I guess I'm just really undecided about what to do with my life, and I'd like a little advice.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m going through the exact same thing. It gets me so depressed not knowing what’s going to happen to me after I graduate. I mean, the worse that could happen is I end up homeless.. or having to work for my parent’s restaurant the rest of my life. =/ </p>
<p>Since peace corps interest you, you might like social work? Don’t know if you have any interest in law school or not, but they also like to see people from peace corps (shows you care about people? no?) Don’t know if you’ve ever considered teaching or not either. But from what I hear, peace corps could open a lot of doors. What kinds though, I’m not too sure. </p>
<p>Anyway, I can’t give you too much advice cause I’m in the same dilemma.. can’t even solve my own problem. 
but you’re not alone. Maybe sometimes it’s best to just live life without trying to predict the future, which is impossible.</p>
<p>Well, good to know that I’m not alone at least! And no I’ve not really considered teaching other than being pretty sure I would be really bad at it (this is one of the reasons I don’t want to go into academia-- having to teach). I know that I wouldn’t be homeless (my mom would never let me go without a roof over my head), but I really can’t stand the idea of living in Alabama for the rest of my life. I basically want to live anywhere but here! I considered law school a while ago, but can’t imagine myself being a lawyer or politician.</p>
<p>I think you need to figure out what you can imagine yourself being. Look at your personal qualities and the specific tasks/activities that you both excel at and enjoy. You know that you don’t like writing (long documents at least), you know that you don’t like teaching, and you know that you don’t like debating/speaking in public (lawyer/politician). That’s good, there are many other things that you can still do. It sounds like graduate school is not the route for you, so you need to find a career – non-profit or otherwise. What issues do you feel passionately about? Do you truly care about the well-being of children in Uganda? Do you care about the homeless in America? Finding the right issue will lead you to the right career. Think about things that you can do better than most: these will be things that you need to take advantage of when looking for a career, if you don’t do it better than others, you won’t find success.</p>
<p>Well, after writing a gruelingly long paper about it, I got really interested in the well-being of people with AIDS in Africa (my paper focused on South African stigma of AIDS, but in general all of sub-Saharan Africa grabbed my attention). Helping those people is one thing that got me interested in the peace corps, because I know you can do stuff like that with them. Another thing that I am interested in is environmental conservation and endangered species (this links in with anthropology, because gorilla and chimpanzee habitats, along with other primates’ as well, are diminishing at a rapid rate and I kind of feel compelled to help our primate relatives you know?) This would also be mostly in Africa, although could be Asia too because that is where orangutans (among others) are located that also have severe deforestation/loss of habitat.
I mean, are these things sort of unrealistic aspirations? Or should I give it a shot? Really, I don’t even know how to start with either of these things other than the peace corps. But peace corps is not a job nor is it long term and that’s what I would like. (good things about it are that you can defer student loans while participating, and obviously, getting to travel and help people).</p>
<p>I have strong volition.</p>
<p>All the things you mentioned that you like sounds like there are many volunteer opportunities out there available for this type of work. If you aren’t already volunteering for the organizations you wish to, you might want to start and the people there might have some ideas for you. Just some random ideas off the top of my head are being an organization leader with students. I participated in the SCA (student conservation association), and we just went around parks and cleaned up weeds with an adult leader, and help out the environment etc. Maybe being the leader might be something you’ll be interested in, if you like working with younger people. SCA is just an example. I’m sure there are many other organizations you can be a leader in or do stuff for.</p>
<p>How about the US Foreign Service? Or other government posts with a focus on international development, like USAID? I think they probably have few people who WANT to be stationed in Africa.</p>
<p>Or working for a congressional committee that focuses on international efforts? Or working for a congressperson who sits on such a committee? The U.S. gov has a lot of positions that could put you on your way.</p>