"Useless Careers"

[Harlow]

I tried to make my career switch as quick and quiet as possible. I did not tell anybody in my old university.

Changing from Electric Engineering to Audiovisuals (real name Social Communication, Branch: Audiovisual, related to journalism, but focusing more on cinema and TV) isn't as easy here as one thinks. It was a real taboo between other people I knew. When I decided to tell them, many were a bit taken aback and even dissapointed at me. They thought I was changing just beacuse I was looking for something short n' easy. Can't I feel that that was the career I liked and the one that I feel more identified with it's job propositions? No? Shoot me then...

Have you ever met those people that think only some careers are the ones that you can live with? Any personal experience?

I was even told that if you didn't study Medicine, Engineering or Law, you were destined to be a nobody. As if I didn't saw street sellers with a graduate on Mechanical engineering...

[Drasiana]

I have a friend that was convinced that he HAD to go to school for medical sciences, despite the fact he was known in my high school for his intense talents in both music and theatre. His reasoning was the usual money/'stable job' hogwash and I was absolutely not surprised when he dropped out after the first year because he was goddamn miserable

If you are dedicating time and money to study a field, enjoy it. Don't force yourself to do something you desperately do not want to do just because it's a supposedly "wiser" career move. If you are depressed, you will not get anywhere. You have to work hard to be a professional in any field, picking what you like doing just has the benefit of having your hard work fulfill you.

[Harlow]

I have a friend that was convinced that he HAD to go to school for medical sciences, despite the fact he was known in my high school for his intense talents in both music and theatre. His reasoning was the usual money/'stable job' hogwash and I was absolutely not surprised when he dropped out after the first year because he was goddamn miserable

Something similar happened to me. I felt badly pressured on this "time limit" since my last year of high school. I picked Telecom engineering practically out of the blue and over night, focusing on a chance of working at TV or Cinema (Also focused on my sister's university). It wasn't what I wanted, but I didn't know back then; everyone seemed so happy for me, I thought I did the right thing.

Result: I didn't like the teachers nor the method of work nor the enviroment.

Conclusion. I failed and had to repeat a total of 3 classes (the ones that are a prelude of the next aggisnment. I mean, you can't see the next assignment fo you failed it)

At the last trimester I was in, when I managed to get to Electric Circuits 1, I was drained, exhausted and desperate. Failed that class at the lowest grade there is. I am really lucky that I found Audiovisuals. Now I love what I do and, judging by my grades so far, I'm good at it. I feel better and I'm happier.

[Sarita]

Something similar happened to me. I felt badly pressured on this "time limit" since my last year of high school. I picked Telecom engineering practically out of the blue and over night, focusing on a chance of working at TV or Cinema (Also focused on my sister's university). It wasn't what I wanted, but I didn't know back then; everyone seemed so happy for me, I thought I did the right thing. Result: I didn't like the teachers nor the method of work nor the enviroment. Conclusion. I failed and had to repeat a total of 3 classes (the ones that are a prelude of the next aggisnment. I mean, you can't see the next assignment fo you failed it) At the last trimester I was in, when I managed to get to Electric Circuits 1, I was drained, exhausted and desperate. Failed that class at the lowest grade there is. I am really lucky that I found Audiovisuals. Now I love what I do and, judging by my grades so far, I'm good at it. I feel better and I'm happier.

This, this, and a thousand times more, this. In any class of mine that's not art related, I generally don't do as as well. I always managed to eek out a passing grade, but I never feel accomplished in anything but art (which I still manage to eek out passing grades in... but I'm happy about it? I dunno, it's strange.)

[Arashikage]

Albert Schweitzer said: "Success is not the key to happiness, rather, happiness is the key to success. If you truly love what you do, you will be successful."

I have to agree wholeheartedly with what he said. It is a very good idea to put your focus on what interests you and anything relating to it that will help you start a career in that field. Don't worry about what you're told is the "Smart choice" so long as you enjoy what you do, it will pay off in the long run.

[Thu'um]

well, its interesting you say. My school and town is filled with very competitive students and not to come out and be racist or anything but we have a large Indian and Chinese population and the children of most ( not all) faimlys seem driven like slaves by their parents that they have to get a 4.0 GPA ( in all advanced classes) have endless hours of service and prestigious awards from academic events, score over a 2,000 on their SAT, so that they may go to an IV league and become a doctor or engineer or else they have failed in life. Kids in my school have literally lost hair or had it go grey just due to stress. And in all honesty i don't know if that is worth it. Now while certain jobs may be more stable then others: doctor, engineer. It doesn't exclude other careers from being illegitimate

[Psygonis]

There is no sub-career as long as you enjoy what you do. Because you know what? What you study, you'll have to work with it for all your active lifetime. So you'd better like it!

It's great that you switched before it is too late, and now do things you can find fulfillment in.