BACKGROUND TO PART OF THE STORY *kindof* AND MY CURRENT LIFE-CONDITIONS, YOU CAN SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU LIKE:

so, I just got my life into track, since I practically spent the last 7 months 'preparing' for the future, ie. university, I was dead to alot of things, old friends, school clubs, my art, etc. I went through 2 months of what my family decided to call 'The Great Depression', I became temperamental, emotional, lost any shred of self-confidence and esteem, and became so darn lazy. This, unfortunately, reflected on my report card (which I received yesterday) by me just barely escaping Bs. This was what I would like to call my 'wake up slap' which made me snap out of me depression (which was caused by stress btw), much to the relief to my bestie (who has been a wonderful listener to my rage-rant fits) and my family. I get serious again at school, but a week later my grandma suffers a heart-attack and now the whole house is thrown into havoc, we have two heart patients to supply with medicine (which is very expensive here),and me and uni fees to think of, which drastically limited my choice of uni.

THE MAIN POINT:

I chose a university I really like and can thankfully fit our budget. But I have no idea what to study there and this 'ambiguity' as I call it has cause me to take biology, chemistry, and physics this year (so if I have to make a last minute choice, I'll have decent choices). I've also begun with Calculus, I take English Literature and Grammar, but not very adept at either, I just have to because I am not a native English speaker, I did not apply for art courses (despite my deep love for it) because our art teachers do not take it as a 'serious-subject-that-can-make-your-good-future' but rather as 'a-hobbyist-subject-to-fill-up-course-work' and teach them under that conception,ie. not seriously, not as real ART, but as how to make flowers from tissue papers, which ticks me off. So my question [/b]is, can someone give me advice for a career choice that will suit my likes and provide me a good future? And by good future I mean a stable job, a nice income to help my family, while at the same time something I enjoy??

I do look forward to replies from college or uni students, as their experience could very much help me. And also from people who still didn't get into college or uni, maybe we could help each other decide??? And advice from anyone else is welcome too (Grandies, mommies, daddies, the pizza guy, yellow aliens, cat-hybrids, Eco-folks, etc, etc, etc)

love you all
Moon

Most stable job is medicine if you can afford and/or handle it. People generally don't fire doctors/nurses.

And I really recommend staying away from art as your major because art tends to be a big fail in the job market. It's only the lucky ones who ever make it in art.

Sadly, I have to agree with KTC. Unless you get lucky, you really can't go anywhere with an art major. Something in the medicine field is likely your best bet for money/job stability.

However, those can be high-stress jobs. Some people think the amount of stress and the demands of the job aren't worth the pay. And if you look at lists of 'best jobs' doctor/nurses haven't been making them. Especially being a nurse- at least where I am, the nurses are understaffed, overworked, and underpaid.

That being said, I'm not sure you should listen to me. I have no idea what I want to be. I'll probably be stuck as a cashier. T.T Don't work retail for a long time. You'll lose your faith in humanity.

I say stay away from art as a degree. Art degrees aren't very useful. You usually aren't going to get a good job with one.

I'd stick with a science degree. You don't have to go into medicine with one. But there are a lot of opportunities for those who get a science degree.

@ all, I never ever considered an art major but thank you so much for letting me know its not a good major

alot of people have medicine degrees here, and we have alot of pharmacies, as frequent as 1 every 1.5 blocks. and I would love to be a nurse but nurses here are not only under-paid but the society dislikes them. I am certain I do not have guts to be a doctor.

how about architecture? any advice on this field????

imo, architecture is pretty much the same as art: unstable.

I agree with KTC architecture is a hard business to make money in. My boyfriend and I were just talking about having an architecture agree the other day. To make good money with it, you have to have already made a name for yourself. It's like art, you have to be really good for people to pay you a lot.

All I can say is, "You'll never know if you never try."

@theone: Though if one wants a reliable job, it's more prudent to looking at statistics rather than 'follow your heart' or 'trial and error' approaches.

I really can't agree with any of the responses in this thread. My advice for starting university and future career: figure out what you like and find a way to make it work. You don't want to do something you're really not interested in just for the money/job stability. It can leave you bitter and anger. Also don't expect to be making the big money right away, it take time, experience, and patience.

Art doesn't have to be just standing in front of an easel.

An art major can involve graphic design, advertising, marketing, etc., which could have decent career prospects.

wow, so much prospects and points of view! i'm really glad i posted this thread.
as for architecture, aren't there 'offices', where you get a place, receive orders (jobs), fill them up, get paid with profit to this office you work in? and the office sort of pays you pocket money eitherway?

my uncle also suggested that i get a masters in administraion, along with whatever major i make up my mind on...





Ps. my grandmother passed away today, so i guess this kindof changes the siuation

Like Argoyle said, art doesn't necessarily mean that you're trying to be the next Picasso. I have personally thought about an art degree so that I could pursue a career in graphic designing. However, I've decided on pharmacy. (My reasons for it are much different than the money, though; my mom, who's a pharmacy tech, told me how much she uses math in her job, and being the math geek I am, I was sold on it immediately.)

Basically, do what you want. I, myself, wouldn't want to be stuck doing something I don't enjoy, and I can't think of any people who do.

"Basically, do what you want. I, myself, wouldn't want to be stuck doing something I don't enjoy, and I can't think of any people who do."

Traditional chinese lol. You either become a doctor, lawyer, accountant, or something computer engineering related.

Since I hate law and dad was never into computer engineering, it's medicine for me. *shrugs*

I'm in college, well "was" in college since I'm on a vacation from it. I had the same experience with you.I've become utterly lazy, and depressed, lost my self confidence. Courtesy of some professor who loves (I dunno, maybe it's a bad habit of his) yelling words that are so degrading to his students. My Advice? guessing that you are as average (or maybe above average) as I am. "Work hard and Master your craft" that's all I can say if you want a career salary wise. I've known exemplary people from our college, people who dedicated themselves to studying to get a scholarship, or even just a discount. turns out those people are the ones who get the highest salary.. ..About the enjoyable part how about taking up Business related? Banking? Psychology? Bachelor of Arts? You can enjoy your career later. For now just invest with yourself. play your strength. and be friendly it comes handy

@elonah: I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience due to a professor. It's very sad that some professors think it's okay to be degrading to students. Just because someone has a PhD, doesn't mean they should be allowed to deal with students.

Without going into all of the details, I had two difficult professors (one more than the other) on my advisory committee for a PhD who damaged my confidence. It eventually lead to me changing topics, getting a new committee, and adding two more years to get my degree (crosses fingers that it's only two, I should be done by the spring or summer).

Quote:

True. And I half agree.
However, I also disagree. My parents have forced engineering on me. I'm getting my result today. I'm expecting a good one but it's not like I enjoyed the course and even half considered doing badly just to not have to become one. In the end, I did work.

But think about this, if I hate the studying for engineering this much, how am I going to enjoy the job at all?

@theone: You don't enjoy the job, you enjoy the pay. That's what chinese (or the ones I know anyway and what I've been taught) go on about all the time.

How enjoyable your job is to you is entirely irrelevant. What matters is how much you earn for your job, hence why art is frowned upon by many chinese (unless you're a prodigy).

Even now, the idea of doing a job because it's enjoyable rather than the paycheck is a very foreign and strange idea to me. Sure, I went through my rebellion stage in highschool, but when the parents control the money for college, you don't have many alternatives. Law or medicine. There's no third option.

@theone - any particular branch of engineering that you studied/are not enjoying?



I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who both gets paid decently and enjoys what they do.

Don't know how it is in the US but here we have a one year preparation course
If my marks are high, then I'm going into Electric or Petroleum. Then get a high paying job and become rich!