"What are you going to do with your life?"

T

The Home Run Kid

Rookie
My high school graduation is fast approaching, and... I certainly know what I would LIKE to do with my life, I'm just not sure that I will end up doing that. So, my question, for all the college-age kids and younger, what do you want to do with your life? And for all those who are already in the workforce, what do you do now, and is it the same thing you thought you'd be doing when you graduated high school?

I would really like to be a high-school band director who spends a lot of his free time composing for fun and profit. I'm aware of how craptastic the salary is, but I know that being around music forever would make me very very happy.
 
The Home Run Kid said:
My high school graduation is fast approaching, and... I certainly know what I would LIKE to do with my life, I'm just not sure that I will end up doing that. So, my question, for all the college-age kids and younger, what do you want to do with your life? And for all those who are already in the workforce, what do you do now, and is it the same thing you thought you'd be doing when you graduated high school?

I would really like to be a high-school band director who spends a lot of his free time composing for fun and profit. I'm aware of how craptastic the salary is, but I know that being around music forever would make me very very happy.
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I think that its awesome that you know what u want to do. u should definetely try and pursue this career if u have the passion. myself, i am currently in college majoring in biology. i am thinking about going to med school but am unsure =(. i find myself thinking about this a lot but am not sure what my goals r in life.
 
I think I will probably go into graphic design. I'm only a junior in highschool but I have a pretty good idea(I think) of what I want to do. I have some connections with Nike and wouldn't be surprised if I ended up there.
 
I am no where near my intended field. :D I intended on majoring in Physics with the intent to attend grad school when I left for college in 03. I also had a lot of personal goals and intentions that didn't pan out either (which seem much less traumatic now than they were at the time. School first people. :D) Since then, I've switched majors to Mathematics (which is awesome!) and hope to teach, though I'm still not sure what grade level (nothing below high school though, ick.) As far as jobs go, as I've bounced around schools, I've been stringing since I graduated high school and do it on a quasi-professional level; in that, I teach people to string and carry what some would consider a minor clout in the industry (only a few though, me not included. ;)) Stringing for me satisfies all of my ASPy characteristics but I would have never guessed that I'd still be doing it when I started.

My suggestion to anyone starting college: take classes that interest you, regardless of what anyone says about the material. You'll find out what you want to do before long. And sometimes that changes, and that's okay in my book. Enjoy it. :D
 
There's a lot to be said as to the merits of a career in pharmaceuticals. From what I hear, they're very family-friendly jobs, and pay very well too. Of course, there's a lot of schooling to get there.
 
My buddy (the one who totaled his Mustang last night) wants to go into pharmaceuticals. He says for as much school as they make you go to, all it is is knowing what chemicals happen to be in drugs. I really don't know, having never looked at that profession, but it sounds kinda silly to send you to med school to be able to read a drug label.
 
The Home Run Kid said:
My buddy (the one who totaled his Mustang last night) wants to go into pharmaceuticals. He says for as much school as they make you go to, all it is is knowing what chemicals happen to be in drugs. I really don't know, having never looked at that profession, but it sounds kinda silly to send you to med school to be able to read a drug label.
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The silliness of academic rigmarole goes much further than that. You will see for yourself. :D

Actually, I have an example. A starter for the Georgia Tech football team was about to graduate when the registrar notified him that his petition to graduate was denied because he had not fulfilled a portion of his required curriculum.

What class was he missing? Gym. :D
 
I finished high school last year, and a year on, I still don't have a clue! lol.

I got layed off from a supermarket and for the time being im a paper boy :-?
 
LanEvo said:
i am gonna become a pharmacist and i alreayd have it planned out, even tho im a soph in HS
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Interesting, a pharmacist is the top career I would like to pursue right now too. I am two years behind you in academics though. What path are possibly thinking about?
 
The Home Run Kid said:
My buddy (the one who totaled his Mustang last night) wants to go into pharmaceuticals. He says for as much school as they make you go to, all it is is knowing what chemicals happen to be in drugs. I really don't know, having never looked at that profession, but it sounds kinda silly to send you to med school to be able to read a drug label.
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School exists not to teach you the necessary information in a given field, but to teach you to obey and jump through the hoops.

"What does (formal) education often do? It makes a straight cut ditch of a free meandering brook."
- Henry Thoreau.
 
CanadianChic said:
Here we go again.
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^ It is well known that you despise any type of insightful, critical thinking - there's really no need to constantly remind us.

"One of the benefits of a college education is to show the boy its little avail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
"It is never too late to give up our prejudices."

- Henry David Thoreau

Deuce said:
^ It is well known that you despise any type of insightful, critical thinking - there's really no need to constantly remind us.
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"The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling. Yet we do not treat ourselves nor one another thus tenderly."

- Henry David Thoreau


And we all know how you love to speak down to us all from the pulpit of morality.

"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
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^ Do you even notice that 9 times out of 10, our conflicts begin when YOU pass some sort of smart ass comment on a post of mine?
You, who constanly proclaim your pristine innocence... while demonstrating the complete opposite.
Very rarely do I address you unless you first address me in some smart-ass manner.

At least you're making an effort to learn something intelligent by looking up those quotes.

But it'll take a lot more than that to balance you out.
 
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do what makes you happy
in my case being a tennis coach

if you have no idea
just work for a while
get some money in
 
Deuce said:
^ Do you even notice that 9 times out of 10, our conflicts begin when YOU pass some sort of smart ass comment on a post of mine?
You, who constanly proclaim your pristine innocence... while demonstrating the complete opposite.
Very rarely do I address you unless you first address me in some smart-ass manner.

At least you're making an effort to learn something intelligent by looking up those quotes.

But it'll take a lot more than that to balance you out.
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Oh Deucey, I have never proclaimed pristine innocence or even a smudged goodness. It is you who have coloured my aura in your own perception. I walk in my own judgment.

- CC

As for the rest, please. We are roughly equal on the 'who referenced who first' scale so get over it. You said something typically pious and I merely indicated that the same path will be taken. Lectures, condemnation, sneering superiourity...the quotes were a welcome change. Just think, if we always addressed each other with them, we would be golden. As for Thoreau, I'm actually reading him as you are aware (even though it is pointless as he is honest - something I fail to understand).
 
Deuce said:
School exists not to teach you the necessary information in a given field, but to teach you to obey and jump through the hoops.

"What does (formal) education often do? It makes a straight cut ditch of a free meandering brook."
- Henry Thoreau.
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"It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it."

- Arnold Toynbee
 
CanadianChic said:
Oh Deucey, I have never proclaimed pristine innocence or even a smudged goodness. It is you who have coloured my aura in your own perception. I walk in my own judgment.

- CC

As for the rest, please. We are roughly equal on the 'who referenced who first' scale so get over it. You said something typically pious and I merely indicated that the same path will be taken. Lectures, condemnation, sneering superiourity...the quotes were a welcome change. Just think, if we always addressed each other with them, we would be golden. As for Thoreau, I'm actually reading him as you are aware (even though it is pointless as he is honest - something I fail to understand).
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That (in red) is the first true thing you've written in a while.

I hope you one day mature to the level where your fantasies and aspirations lie.

No pun intended.
 
I majored in EE in college, don't do anything remotely close to design engineering now though. But it's a good degree I feel because I do have interested in it, also gives me options, and if I ever try anything new, I have something solid to fall back on in case it doesn't pan out. I'm pretty satisfied with it.
 
I still haven't figured this out. I thought I had, I hadn't...I'm not sure I ever will sadly. I'm very envious of people with a passion in life.

I did however find out a few things that life is not about and a few things I don't want to do. It really changed my life.

I'm getting married in June, sharing my life with my fiance is one thing I know for sure that I want to do. I think that once I have my first child everything I thought I wanted to do is going to change when I see them for the first time anyway so I'm not too worried about things for now.

In the meantime I think I'll go have that beer I've been thinking about all afternoon...
 
Deuce said:
School exists not to teach you the necessary information in a given field, but to teach you to obey and jump through the hoops.

"What does (formal) education often do? It makes a straight cut ditch of a free meandering brook."
- Henry Thoreau.
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You can't speak for all educational institutes. My university department encourages and rewards critical thinking, questioning the established facts/methods, etc.

So... how is this hurtful? I'm sure not all places do this but it's definitely a good thing and helps all of us here to think for ourselves... not just to blindly conform.
 
As for the OP's question.

After graduating 4th in my class of 500 at a high school in North Carolina, I thought I wanted to go to the University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC) and study engineering. However I went to go visit the campus and read about the course and realized it wasn't for me. So I thought of studying abroad. I went to Germany, where I'm originally from anyway and decided to join a nuclear engineering course at FH Juelich. I then decided THAT wasn't right for me either :( . I didn't enjoy it as much and just lost interest in engineering altogether pretty much.

I then came here to the UK to study atmospheric science and got onto a course at the top meteorology university in the country. After two years here I absolutely LOVE my career path. After I graduate I'll go for a Masters and then possibly a PhD. After I get all this done I'll probably end up flying to Australia and live there. :)
 
I don't think Thoreau was right in that quote, or at best dated. Nowadays, to use the same analogy, formal education is more or less giving the person the ditch digging equipment and a map. But, if you choose to meander or not is up to you. I wouldn't describe MY formal education as a "straight cut ditch," for the most part. Do I wish I didn't have to take crap gen. ed. classes? Yeah. But that doesn't restrict me anymore than they did in high school.
 
I finished high school and spent 1 year at a top university in NY. I found out I wasn't ready for the work side of college (meaning, doing the homework and time spent to do well). I joined the USAF and loved every minute of it. I saw the world, grew up along the way. Did an awesome job and made lifetime friends and professional connections. So much in fact that I'm now a government contractor helping the warfighter win faster, easier, and more convincingly. I work for one of the biggest defense contractors in the world, make a ton of money and love life.

I'm close to finishing my undergrad, and will move onto my MBA here shortly. My company pays for every cent of it as well. The degree means nothing in what I do. My 5 years in the USAF serve as my undergrad. My MBA will catapult me though into a pay scale that most will never see. So it's ovbiously a huge motivating factor in that aspect.

My advice, give college a try (an honest attempt). Take the course you need to take, but also take classes you WANT to take. I wish I took some photography along the way. Now I am, just for fun. You could very well stumple onto a career path you never thought of before. Good Luck!
 
Surely to answer the OP's question you should tell us, no even better, stand up and tell the class "I Wanna Rock".
 
The Home Run Kid said:
My high school graduation is fast approaching, and... I certainly know what I would LIKE to do with my life, I'm just not sure that I will end up doing that. So, my question, for all the college-age kids and younger, what do you want to do with your life? And for all those who are already in the workforce, what do you do now, and is it the same thing you thought you'd be doing when you graduated high school?

I would really like to be a high-school band director who spends a lot of his free time composing for fun and profit. I'm aware of how craptastic the salary is, but I know that being around music forever would make me very very happy.
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Im in the same position as you. I'm graduating this year, attending carnegie mellon university or cornell university, majoring in mechanical engineering. After graduation, I hope to find a job at Lockheed or NASA, a dream of mine since I was a kid.

I admire you for sticking to what you love, music. A lot of kids in my class are looking for jobs that pay, like pharmacists or other medical fields. But, I think you have to choose something that can make you happy for the rest of you life. Kudos to you.
 
I think there's definitely merit in thinking that education is not always the best path for everyone. However, that does not mean that education is useless. Those who are willing to work for it, love it, and enjoy learning will get things out of education others can't dream of outside of it.

My philosophy is, if school's not the right place for you, and you really don't want anything to do with institutionalized education, then that's perfectly fine. Go do what you feel is best for yourself 'cause everyone's different.

For those who love to pursue a higher education and gain knowledge from more academic fields of study, make the best of your educational opportunities.
 
Here was my plan after high school.

Was gonna bumb for a year workin at nike and go to college after a little break from school. I didnt know what I wanted to pursue and though id figure it out. My mom convinced me to go to school. Attended a Community College with no plan so didnt really go to class. Then i started workin at nike my car broke down so I bought a new one.

After a year and Half at nike (Awesome job BTW) I decided I wanted to go back to college. No longer was i to get the funding from my parents. And with a car payment I was stuck between workin and college. i was getting ready to start working at a rite aid shiping facility for like 10bucks an hour, but decided to go spend a week with my grandfather golfing in FL. when I got home I recieved a call fom a marine recruiter. I figuer id play his game and meet with the guy.

After talking with the marine guy and a Air Force Lt Col at the gym my dad I were going to I decided what better way to get college money and work experince in what I thought i wanted to do than the AF. So off to San Antonio I went to serve my country for totally self serving reasons. So I got 7 years work experince in the IT field and 36,000 to use for college from a $1200 investmant in the MGIB. not exactly my initial plan out of high school. but in retrospect I should have joined the AF Sooner.

But it souds like you have a plan which is great. But according to colleges most kids change thier majors numerous times throughout college.
 
^^^^^

Thats the attitude you need if its ever going to happen. You cant pursue something like half 1/2 butted.

Also are you quoting one of my posts in your sig? I recall saying that in a post here Im gonna have to track it down and sue you for plagarism :)
 
Wow. Big topic.

I graduated from high school dead set on working in the music industry. Went to college, started as a music-business major, changed to physics, changed to math, finally finished with a degree in legal studies in business, and am currently finishing degree #2 in marketing. I am a rare case - I actually quit school for a semester halfway through my senior year, and went back.

I work in project management at the moment - it's definitely not what I want to do, but with the economic slowdown, it's better than not being employed. I also work part time as a live sound engineer and also moonlight as a studio rat. Basically, I'm doing anything I can to get paid to be around music.

I plan on eventually pursuing my MBA and getting into branding and brand management, ideally within the pro sound field, which is relatively small but is where my interests lie.
 
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I still keep thinking about what I want to do with my life. I'm about 2.5 years out of school already. Just got promoted in my company and a decent raise. But I have never really figured it out.
 
I'm a junior in high school and I'm going to have to agree with Deuce and Mr. Thoreau. I despise going to school everyday and can no longer even force myself to pay much attention due to the utter boredom incorporated into most classes.
 
I am a (junior) Mensa member now and will definitely become a theoretical physicist in the future (serious). In addition to that, I plan to be a grandmaster in chess and also aspire to direct what I hope to be a modestly recognized sci-fi movie *wink*.
 
im 2 days of classes, and three finals away from having my first year of college done.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I wanted to go to business school and hopefully become a CEO of a company.

Right now the plan is law school, dont know what kind of law I want to practice.
Also, there is a possibility that I will become a history professor, but that possibility is becoming slimmer and slimmer.

The main thing is to do what makes you happy, for me making money makes me happy so if if someone would pay me 7 figures to get kicked in the ass all day, I would do that and be happy. If music makes you happy, then that is what you should do.
 
Nadal_Monfils said:
I'm a junior in high school and I'm going to have to agree with Deuce and Mr. Thoreau. I despise going to school everyday and can no longer even force myself to pay much attention due to the utter boredom incorporated into most classes.
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It may be boredom, but the fact of the matter is that people who don't have a college degree, on the whole, earn less money and tend to have shorter lives than those that earn a degree. There's something to be said for having enough discipline to be able to jump through the requisite hoops.
 
I have been volunteering as a janitor in public parks for the past couple of months. I am not a salaried employee, but I am very happy with my job.
 
Something that I always found a bit odd was that we were made to do mock exams for the mock exams before the real exams.. oh and an exam in every subject every week on top of all that.

I get that some people do well when they repeat something over and over but it had a negative effect on me. Once the real ones came around i'd got so sick of doing exams under no pressure that I didn't have any adrenaline pumping through me which always helps me when i'm under pressure.

Quality over quantity works better for me, I always thought it was a bit bad they didn't realise that not everyone get's the best out of themselves in exactly the same way.
 
SlapShot said:
It may be boredom, but the fact of the matter is that people who don't have a college degree, on the whole, earn less money and tend to have shorter lives than those that earn a degree. There's something to be said for having enough discipline to be able to jump through the requisite hoops.
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I disagree. Doing what I perceive as a tedious and worthless task, such as repetitive homework where we do 20 of the same type of math problems, should not be a requisite hoop to jump through to "get ahead."
 
GeorgeLucas said:
I am a (junior) Mensa member now and will definitely become a theoretical physicist in the future (serious). In addition to that, I plan to be a grandmaster in chess and also aspire to direct what I hope to be a modestly recognized sci-fi movie *wink*.
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Interesting.

I qualified for Mensa (easily), but never applied for a membership.

I taught High School Physics for a brief time back in 1998.

I once beat an 1800-ranked player in chess when I was in 10th grade and had a self-estimated rating of around 1650.

I'm an Aerospace Engineer now (have been for 16 years) and make a decent wage, but I don't hold out much hope for "the good life." I'll probably just work until I'm 65 just like every other schmo out there and hope for a comfortable retirement.

C'est la vie.
 
TonyB said:
Interesting.

I qualified for Mensa (easily), but never applied for a membership.

I taught High School Physics for a brief time back in 1998.

I once beat an 1800-ranked player in chess when I was in 10th grade and had a self-estimated rating of around 1650.

I'm an Aerospace Engineer now (have been for 16 years) and make a decent wage, but I don't hold out much hope for "the good life." I'll probably just work until I'm 65 just like every other schmo out there and hope for a comfortable retirement.

C'est la vie.
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Awesome! We gotta play a game of chess sometime :D
 
Nadal_Monfils said:
I disagree. Doing what I perceive as a tedious and worthless task, such as repetitive homework where we do 20 of the same type of math problems, should not be a requisite hoop to jump through to "get ahead."
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It may seem pointless, but I can tell you that life is significantly harder for most people who don't finish school, or who don't attend college.

There are an awful lot more hoops to jump through in the professional world that there are in school, and the consequences are more severe.
 
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