I need HONEST advice and encouragement.

College Majors
1

<p>I've been on this forum before asking about my college major, however a lot has changed since then. I have been on this dramatic roller coaster ride of discouragement,mood swings, and mind changing. I am a community college student in my first semester. I am doing great thus far, but my main concern is "Who the hell do I listen to?"</p>

<p>I honestly need some guidance, and I am coming here because I feel like (although I've been warned and told negative things about this website) that people on here are brutally honest and willing to hear me out and help.</p>

<p>Now I know that there are TONS of threads about people asking "Do I follow my heart or do I follow financial secuirty?" "Should I study something that interests me? OR Should I study something that will get me the dough needed to pay off my student loans?" I am sort of in that situation. I've done my research and I know that quantitive majors pay off more! However I am not a natural quantitive thinker. I am not a natural math lover. I wasn't taught about the importance of mathematics in grade school... I was just told "You can be WHAT EVER you want to be and the money will come anyhow!" I am just now realizing that things were sugar coated. I wish that I payed attention more to math in my elementary and middle school days (when I was absorbing things like a sponge) I wish that my brain had the tolerance for mathematics, and maybe I wouldn't stess so much or feel inferior or incapable. Yes I am insecure, and those of you who are naturally geniuses at math are VERY lucky that your natural passion automatically alligns with the big bucks. My natural passion however, alligns with unemployment.</p>

<p>There is a stereotype that I continue to hear... The "nerds" have the last laugh and the social party kids who major in communications or psychology end up working at taco bell... (I am not agreeing with this, that is just what I've heard"... I personally feel like that is unfair, because I am not a social party kid, I am not a lazy ******bag who wants the easy way out of college. I am actually an introverted and socially awkward guy (People actually THINK I am nerdy) who simply isn't talented or gifted with a brain that enjoys math and hard sciences. </p>

<p>End rant.</p>

<p>As you can tell... I am very insecure and discouraged and unorganized with my thoughts. What I am really trying to ask is... For students like myself, who would fail at a stem major ( and honest enough to understand that my brain is NOT NOT NOT built for STEM). For students like myself that aren't naive and knows that my passion (television and film production) isn't the best road for employment. For students like myself who want to continue in college and sees himself getting a degree in the future. (I don't want to be told that college isn't for me)... Should I force myself into a practical major, since I want so badly to have financial security. I am not asking for wealth. I am willing to work toward a medium paying career, I just want to be able to rent a home, own a car, dine out occasionally, and vacation once a year. Or should I go for an area of interest? My family begs me to pick something that has good financial gain. However, my guidance counselor tells me that I should care less about money and the economy, and choose something that I love, and she tells me to stay away from college forums (obviously I am disobeying her lol). I am so stressed and discouraged. I just want to choose a path and work toward it with no worries and no regrets.</p>

<p>If you read this entire post then THANK YOU and I look forward to your advice. Please try not to judge or insult me. I am just a little lost at the moment and I need hope. I seriously feel like NO ONE understands what I am going through, and I hope someone on here can identify with my concerns and give me words of wisdom. Once again... I am not lazy and I am willing to work hard and try hard. I just don't want to pick something I love and be broke and in debt, or pick something that is "eh" and feel like a sell out or as if I am selling my soul for cash. Those of you who are passionate in subjects that pay off, just don't know how lucky you are lol.</p>

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<p>Okay so I read only like one part of this but I think being financially secure is a lot more important because if you don’t have a job, you are nowhere!</p>

3

<p>I don’t blame you for not reading the entire post =/ I know I typed a bit much… sorry</p>

<p>I am leaning toward a financial stability because I do believe that a good paying job leads to a life with more options. I just don’t want to feel like a sell out that is leaving my passion for cash. Sometimes I wonder “What if the economy makes a drastic change, and the majors that have terrible prospects at the moment, end up being the next best thing, and then I’d be looking dumb with egg on my face.”</p>

4

<p>@EricsWorld
I’m sorry I didn’t read the whole thing. I like your philosophy. I think what you are doing is correct.
Honestly, as long as you do something constructive you will be successful and yes making money is essential. So good luck to you:)</p>

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<p>What is your passion? What major(s) would you choose if job prospects were not in the equation?</p>

6

<p>@Mawdeuce I would like to work in television and film production… Like special effects,editing,sound engineering,etc… Something in the creative/ visual art field…</p>

<p>However, I am looking at Accounting or Computer Information Systems for my “practical option”… Because I do enjoy business,problem solving, and I want a career where I work hard but feel rewarded in the end. I know I said I am not a natural mathmematician, however I don’t suck at math. I’m just no mathematical genius.</p>

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<p>Thank you newyorkmydreams for wishing me good luck :slight_smile: I appreciate that. I am seriously considering Accounting or CIS… I’m an introverted personality and I really don’t have many hobbies. I enjoy watching reality tv shows and going to school lol… Most people would say that I am a boring person… My dream job would be working in the creative department at a television network, however I have an aunt who works for Warner Bros here in LA, and she says that it isn’t all that wonderful.</p>

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<p>Wow that sounds cool @EricsWorld
Thats not being introverted thats being creative and talented. good luck. what schools are you considering or planning on attending?</p>

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<p>Well if I choose to go the Accounting or CIS way then I plan to transfer to California State University Fullerton’s Mihaylo College of Business.</p>

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<p>Ericsworld----First of all, don’t feel too badly about being uncertain about what you want to do in school. Most young people have no idea because experiences are what shape preferences and young people don’t have a lot in the way of experience. Your concerns are real and legit. No one wants to be in a position of owing 10s of 1000s of $ in school loans that have gotten you nowhere and that cannot be discharged through bankruptcy! </p>

<p>You need to take the time to get to know yourself and you need to be willing to do the “work” involved. If you’ve never done it, you owe it to yourself to go through the “What Color is Your Parachute For Teens: Discovering Yourself, Defining Your Future” book. Rather than define your interests by industry or profession, ie, “engineer” you need to think of your interests, talents, and skills. This book is a great beginning and is v-e-r-y helpful! </p>

<p>Too many young people are terrified that they are failures because they don’t see themselves in STEM careers. There is a reason that those careers are so lucrative----the course of study they require is DIFFICULT and requires a particular turn of mind. Not everyone can be an engineer because their mental giftedness is not in that vein. And it’s also a myth that people in those careers never suffer unemployment! I know a recent college grad in Electrical Engineering from a top technical institute who has not landed a job.</p>

<p>Once you have a better idea of who you are, you can craft a plan. Good luck!</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Parachute-Teens-Edition/dp/158008141X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1330837904&sr=8-3[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Parachute-Teens-Edition/dp/158008141X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1330837904&sr=8-3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

11

<p>Was it “French for Shower” bag? Was that what got bleeped?</p>

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<p>@bungalowdweller thank you so much for your words of wisdom. I appreciate your response and I’m listening to every word you typed. Thanks :)</p>

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<p>@XaviFM yeah lol it starts with a d ends with an e and has an OUCH in the middle. Oops =\ lol</p>

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<p>Ericsworld, I came back tonight because I also wanted to add that anyone who has a strong interest in the creative arts should ALWAYS develop a marketable skill that is lucrative so that you can live, pay your bills, have a decent home, car, etc.—in other words, all the things that make life worth living. That’s NOT “selling out”. Having income in a profession that you enjoy and that isn’t related to your artistic interests sets you free to pursue those interests without the fear and burden of “Do I get the contract? Is my price too high? What do I do between jobs?” etc. </p>

<p>In my own family life my mother was a ballerina. She danced professionally for only a v-e-r-y few years. In those days she came home to raise a family. With today’s student debt, many students don’t have that option. In my life I’ve known several professional dancers who were forced into retirement because they were getting “old”. They’re facing old age with fear because they have nothing. My own sister, a Shakespearean actress who has lived in Great Britain, never pursued anything else. Her future is shaky. Another good friend who has played jazz sax for over 30 years recently went bankrupt and lost his house. I know a published author who teaches creative writing at a university who would LOVE to get out because he hates his job but has no training for anything else! And I know of another guy, an investment banker, who has fulfilled a dream to create a series of comic books chronicling the life of a famous historical figure. He’s doing fantastic! He has 4 comic books published (he wrote them and a team of international artists drew the pix), he visited the country where his hero lived and he recently met the love of his life and married! He was able to do all of this because he had his own $ to fund his project. He was not dependent upon his art to live----it’s a creative sideline that provides a stream of income. He doesn’t have to sell himself cheap because he’s not using his art to live! </p>

<p>Don’t think that you have to “give up” your primary interests just because they may not be lucrative. With a good profession you can afford to take classes on the side or from professionals who would be delighted to teach you what they know! They need a sideline too! </p>

<p>And know this. . .the odds are that within 5 years in the working world, you’ll be doing something that is totally different from what you started out doing. You’re going to be doing things that don’t exist yet!</p>

<p>Just understand this----money is CRUCIAL. What is MONEY? It is the world’s mode of exchange for the hours of your Very Life–your time, talents, etc that you are laying down in service for someone else. Anyone who tells you that money isn’t important is a fool. That person has never watched a loved one die for the sake of a few thousand dollars, never been hungry, never had to tell their child they couldn’t afford the basics of life, etc, etc. NEVER sell yourself cheaply! Your life is a treasure—invest your time, talent, and treasure in those things that give you the most return in happiness and personal satisfaction. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Money isn’t necessary to have a good life. Live below your means and you can make do with as little a salary of 25k or less even.</p>

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<p>If you can manage it, try a double-major. One area of study for the joy of it, one area of study for security reasons. (Though, to avoid having a miserable life, your “security” major should probably be something you have more than a passing interest in. Perhaps connect it to your “joy” major somehow? For example, double-majoring in psychology and social work.)</p>

<p>And, yes, I feel your pain re: the pros and cons of sites like CC. The “chance me for HYP!” kids with 300 AP’s and Oprah-worthy sob stories can seem awfully out of touch with reality–and, paradoxically, not very smart at all. Actually, CC cured me of my desire to do my undergrad at a “top” school, because, you know, I would have to live with some of these kids… and the people who seem to like them so much. Gross.</p>