<p>I have a 9 year old daughter who cartoons, likes video games and is computer savvy(among other attributes and skills and interests, I should add!) . She is watching her older brothers apply to college and hearing our discussions as we "gently" direct the freshman at a college with no core program (how about a bit more Spanish, kiddo?)...she "has a clue" about majors, life choices, etc...</p>
<p>We have talked about digital animation (for goodness sakes, the kids learn to "animate" with power point in 1st grade at our school)..and she has quickly come to a conclusion-- she needs to learn to speak Korean or Japanese to make this a viable employment option (I kid you not!)...</p>
<p>The thing is, EVERYONE enjoys making and writing and acting in films. Everyone. So if this decision came out of nowhere, you should ask him to definitely think about it.</p>
<p>There is a lot of money in film, though. Too much. In commercials, especially. To be a big film director, you really have to know your stuff. It's almost like leading troops into battle. Your not just in control of the shots, you're in control of the acting, editing, cinematography, lighting, etc. It's really a science. A lot of psychology too - what appeals to the audience, what looks good, what symbolism can be used.</p>
<p>I am going to major in Classics in college (Ancient Greek & Latin), and I drool at the possibility of taking Latin & Greek courses not only during the school year, but also over the summer in Greece and Rome, of course.</p>
<p>Tell, me, O Muses, what is so different about majoring in Classics from, say English or History? I don't get it. Everyone reacts so negatively to a major in Latin, but it's really the same concept as those majors. You have to read literature, write papers, analyze, think critically, etc. No one scoffs at a major in English, but a major in Latin, bah humbug!</p>
<p>Encomium, true child of intellectual pursuits, do you know any evil out of all the evils bequeathed by Oedipus worse than lack of a employment? There is nothing--no pain, no ruin, no shame, nor dishonor that we have not seen a liberal arts major suffer. And now what is this new edict that they say the general has just decreed to all the city? Do you know anything? Have you heard? Social Security is on the Rocks!</p>
<p>Knowledge for its own sake is dead! They say that an edict has been published to the townsmen that no one shall bury nor mourn it, but instead leave it unwept, unentombed. For any seeking fulfillment, joy and inspiration, the fate appointed is death by public stoning among the entire city. </p>
<p>This is how things stand for you, and so you will soon show your nature, whether you are noble-minded, the brilliant son of a noble line.</p>
<p>Hello, ever heard of irony? I was K-I-D-D-I-N-G! </p>
<p>It was the "chorus" (society) "saying get a job", not SBmom, happy english lit major whose thesis was on a poet and whose other posts say, study what you love!... </p>
<p>Read again, I am praising you for not going with the pre-professional crowd and instead following what you love. You are a true child of intellectual pursuits & the brilliant son of a noble line.</p>
<p>Wow SBmom, I'm truly humbled by you. I thought you were serious, but the phrase "true child of intellectual pursuits" threw me, and I thought it was mocking! Haha!</p>
<p>Wait, how was it Antigone? ...Oedipus Rex, lying with the mother?</p>
<p>Hey, SB Mom, if I had bothered reading page 2 of this thread, instead of bursting out with anger after reading page 1, I would have gotten you there! Sheesh! My cogs are not working at the moment (speaking of cogs)</p>
<p>TheDad, Oedipus was confused too but then again he had an unusual family situation. Talk about excessive parenting gone wrong. Can you imagine the advice we would have given him on his obstacles-I-have-overcome essay? Um, Oed, maybe you shouldn't write about your family afterall. . . Something along the lines of adventure travel throughout the Greek isles could be compelling . . .</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm a female/ but I worked in drafting with all males and engineers (I can relate to Achat) for many years and played a lot of tennis for years too. When you play competitively (and I don't mean tournaments, but just being a competitive player who WANTS TO WIN) you really aren't very female. I look at the ladies discussing the virtues of mall stores between games and get very annoyed.I don't play doubles with the ladies. I play tennis with the guys. (But not the past year, too much hurting.)</p>
<p>bhg - He doesn't "do it all" like he used to. I've seen a real slowdown this year on activities. His Scout days are mostly over (he's over 18 now) and his fencing is now not one of his top priorities. One of his passions used to be mountain biking, and that has almost completely gone away as an activity. His grades are also down this year (no straight-A's like last year; AP Calc will take care of that). I think that mentally, he's leaving high school already and is looking forward to making his escape into college. His maturity level - always high for his age - has been skyrocketing. He really is becoming an adult.</p>
<p>I think one key to doing a lot is just time management. He gets up at about 6:00 am and gets to school about 30-40 minutes before classes begin ("to get stuff done"), comes home about 4:30 or 5:00 (after school clubs and activities) and doesn't typically go to bed until 11:00-midnight. I'm actually glad to see him slow down a bit. He does not watch TV and rarely plays computer games, so that frees up a lot of time.</p>