Someone help me!

<p>Right now, I will be going into my second year as an undergraduate student of Fordham University. But lately, the thought of declaring a major and especially, thinking about my future has been haunting me.</p>

<p>I've been debating between passion and practicality. Whether to go into something that I have a passion for, like film, or to do something more practical which would yield a higher profit like investment banking, pharmacy, or medicine. People have advised me to stick to my dreams of becoming a director/actor but I know just how competitive that field is. People have told me that I'm the type of person that should be socializing and venturing into a field where I would go out into the world. A friend told me that she couldn't even picture me behind a desk handing out prescribed pills or wearing a white coat all day. I've bought books and they've said that just getting into a well-known graduate film school is tough and after you graduate one must wait at least ten years to actually have an opportunity to make it big. I've seen a gigantic wave of film students go into film in the past few years and the competition is overwhelming. I have a friend who is also interested in film and he has a writing ability that would make Dostoevsky jealous. And to know that there are people out there with gifts like this and are more qualified to become directors and writers than I am is a great discouragement. Also, waiting tables for ten years to pay off my student loans doesn't sound too appealing but to be in an industry that I have a passion for sounds great.</p>

<p>On the other hand, to take a practical route would be much easier on me financially and could ensure me a more stable and comfortable future, but to try and stomach years of a job that I hate does not sound too appealing for me either. I can't distinguish whether going into film is a passion or a hobby also. I have constantly grown interest in film since my high school film class and filmmaking clubs. Then it was a hobby. But as it grew, I've seriously contemplated it as a career. Graduate film school bothers me also. I've heard that getting into an established and well-known film school is tough and without a degree from schools like FSU, NYU, USC, or UCLA, it is almost a waste to go anywhere else. AH! I guess it just bothers me because I haven't been really working as hard as I should academically, if I got things up from here would I have a legitimate shot at a renown film school like NYU for instance?</p>

<p>I honestly do not know what to do from here. As time is creeping by, I'm still stuck here deciding on what to do and it scares me to know that when it comes time to declare something, I would declare the wrong thing. I have images in my head of me not making enough money to survive and I'll be in the middle of a one room apartment, on a dirty mattress, in dirty clothes, watching a tiny tv, and eating a peanut butter and rat sandwich. </p>

<p>Please help me. Abandon my dreams for a hope of a more comfortable life or forsake a possible profitable career for a chance to revel in my passion. HELP PLEASE!!!</p>

<p>You need to chose something that's a mix of both. And as long as you have a bachelor's degree in something...you are not going to be poor. Maybe you won't be living it up, but there are still decent jobs out there that just require you to have a bachelor's degree.</p>

<p>If you want to go into the film business you should be aware of all of the obstacles, but these obstacles should just make you strive to be better in every aspect of pursuing your passion. While it helps, you don't have to go to a prestigious film school to be successful in the film industry. Also, something you might want to check into is internships. They are a good oppurtunity to experience what the film life is like, and a good oppurtunity to get in some reputation with a possible reputable film company. They help on resumes as well.</p>

<p>Goodluck.</p>

<p>Go into Fordham's career couseling office and take some personality/career tests. These might be able to give you some guidance if you are completely lost.</p>