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When did you decide what your career would be?
- Thread starter Blasty
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MrPink93485
Member
At age 22, I feel like I still haven't.
yep. first year here, kinda same situation. at least i'm gonna be studying specific subjects, the decisions i will be forced to make (carier-wise) should be pretty straightforward.
Rand0m TAG
Member
10min before my uni application was due
Pancakes
hot, steaming, as melted butter slips into the cracks, drizzled with sticky sweet syrup OH GOD
When I realized that I disliked programming and politics would never work out for me but loved electronics, so probably sophomore year of college. That's when I realized that engineering was for me.
Delicious Waffles
Member
Decided I wanted to be a graphic designer in high school. Self taught and took a few classes in college. Definitely wasn't enough knowledge but tried to get a job anyway. Got three interviews during the summer I got out of college and got nothing. Did get a job at Target though. -_-
After talking to family, they encouraged me to become a teacher since I was good with kids. Decided to go with it, went back to school, and, so far, it's worked out. I'm a sub, just finishing school last year but it's definitely something I should've done when I started college the first time.
After talking to family, they encouraged me to become a teacher since I was good with kids. Decided to go with it, went back to school, and, so far, it's worked out. I'm a sub, just finishing school last year but it's definitely something I should've done when I started college the first time.
Lion Heart
Banned
I turn 27 in less than two weeks and I'm thinking about going back to Uni. So basically never.
Randolph Freelander
Member
I was 22 before I even decided on a major in college. And then I changed my decision.
I graduated at 24 during a down economy. I didn't actually get into my chosen career until I was 30. (A good bit of that is on me, I was far too complacent, let the down economy at 24 impact me when I was 25, 26, 27.)
My advice: don't panic.
I graduated at 24 during a down economy. I didn't actually get into my chosen career until I was 30. (A good bit of that is on me, I was far too complacent, let the down economy at 24 impact me when I was 25, 26, 27.)
My advice: don't panic.
Fury Sense
Member
Took one of those tests that tells you what you'd be good at and everything made sense to me. That was probably 10 years ago and I graduate uni this year. Whatever my answer was, I'll probably end up doing something similar.
Thug Waffle
Member
When I was 6, I saw Jurassic Park and it blew my mind. I wanted to be a film director ever since. I went through some phases where I considered other things, but it came back around. Shortly after Jurassic Park, my mom introduced me to Star Wars and my entire life has been defined by what that series did for my imagination.
I'd also like to dabble in game development (story, creative direction). Film and games have played such a huge role in my life and I love each form more than any other pursuit I'm aware of.
But I went into college declaring an English major because my school didn't offer film studies. Played football because, at the time, that was what I loved. It still is and I'll never forget what that sport's done for me, but I realized that I wanted something a bit more hands-on and concentrated. I transferred to one of the world's top 25 film schools (which is ironically very easy to get into because it's generally an art school and like half the applicants got above a 3.0 in high school). Now, I do school shit, try to keep a level head and find new opportunities to learn.
Just know, OP, that when you declare a major, you shouldn't be afraid to change it if you're not liking it. I recommend taking your first classes at a community college because you can get General Education requirements taken care of at a fraction of the price demanded by four-year institutions. Get a job in the meantime and save up for party-time when you transfer into a four-year degree program.
THE LOANS ARE OUTRAGEOUS. Community college is unnecessarily and wrongfully stigmatized. Check it out.
I'd also like to dabble in game development (story, creative direction). Film and games have played such a huge role in my life and I love each form more than any other pursuit I'm aware of.
But I went into college declaring an English major because my school didn't offer film studies. Played football because, at the time, that was what I loved. It still is and I'll never forget what that sport's done for me, but I realized that I wanted something a bit more hands-on and concentrated. I transferred to one of the world's top 25 film schools (which is ironically very easy to get into because it's generally an art school and like half the applicants got above a 3.0 in high school). Now, I do school shit, try to keep a level head and find new opportunities to learn.
Just know, OP, that when you declare a major, you shouldn't be afraid to change it if you're not liking it. I recommend taking your first classes at a community college because you can get General Education requirements taken care of at a fraction of the price demanded by four-year institutions. Get a job in the meantime and save up for party-time when you transfer into a four-year degree program.
THE LOANS ARE OUTRAGEOUS. Community college is unnecessarily and wrongfully stigmatized. Check it out.
SlickShoesRUCrazy
Member
high school
Crag Dweller
aka kindbudmaster
When I got out of the Army my first job was a laborer for a bricklaying contractor. After about 6 months I thought if these hillbillies can run a business and make a good living doing this, so can I. After 23 years in business I'm still doing it.
Horse Detective
Why the long case?
Whenever I decide on something I really like, someone shoots me down.
So I don't know.
So I don't know.
11 (performer). School bored me to tears, and acting, singing, and dancing and telling stories didn't and still doesn't. And like things happened along the way, like my 2nd grade teacher would read stories that I had written, my third grade grammar teacher allowed me to sing "original songs" I wrote in front of my class, my sixth grade teacher allowed me to narrate books, and my special ed. (I was "gifted") got me into plays, musicals, and dance.
I had no idea what I wanted to do, as I graduated high school. So I just kept doing what I was doing - working fast food. Became an assistant manager at an Arby's for a year and a half, then started working in an arcade, and became store manager a while later. That experience was enough for me to figure out that I wanted to go into business. Though, I wasn't sure doing exactly what.
I went to community college (Kirkwood, in Iowa) to do two years of general business classes, which would enable me to transfer directly into the University of Iowa college of business. I figured I'd decide what I wanted to do along the way, and I did: finance. Took two and a half years to graduate with a degree in finance, with a corporate finance emphasis. Landed a job out of college doing, um, corporate finance. I'm in my 10th year at that job now.
Moral of the story: if you don't know what you want to do after high school, work and explore until you do. Then go to school.
I went to community college (Kirkwood, in Iowa) to do two years of general business classes, which would enable me to transfer directly into the University of Iowa college of business. I figured I'd decide what I wanted to do along the way, and I did: finance. Took two and a half years to graduate with a degree in finance, with a corporate finance emphasis. Landed a job out of college doing, um, corporate finance. I'm in my 10th year at that job now.
Moral of the story: if you don't know what you want to do after high school, work and explore until you do. Then go to school.
mugurumakensei
Member
When I was 10, I wanted to program video games. At around 17, I realized the head aches involved in game development and decided while I could do it as a hobby I could never do it full time. However, I did like programming still and thus I became a software engineer.
I had never heard of audiology until a year ago. Ended up working their national convention in Boston last year. Good group of people.
To preface this: I loved computers and gaming, so I figured I'd take programming. Absolutely hated it. I preferred kind of the design aspect (UI), but didn't think there'd be a field for that. Decided to go into IT. Didn't think I'd like that either after getting my first office job. The I got a new job a year and a half ago as QA... boss says to me: "We think you'd be good at Project Management".
I think it make sense, I much prefer planning and laying everything out.
I think it make sense, I much prefer planning and laying everything out.
Horse Detective
Why the long case?
Devil Theory
Member
Wing clippers, my girlfriend calls them.
Try not to surround yourself with people of that kind. I'm very poor at Mathematics, but I decided a while ago I want to pursue Statistics or slowly learn myself towards Actuarial Science. At first I laughed at myself for even thinking it, but now I study constantly in my spare time and have made large strides towards my goals.
So my advice is to shoot them down in return.
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
I knew probably by high school that I wanted to do something business related, but wasn't sure in what function (marketing, logistics, accounting, management, etc). Knew by second year of college that I wanted to work specifically in financial analysis of a corporation. Shortly after knew specifically that I wanted to work for a major tech company with global presence.
They are and it's a fulfilling job. Hearing aid technology is pretty fascinating too.
disappeared
Banned
Not yet.
I haven't fully transitioned into a project management role, but you have to be really organized. There's a few different levels of being a PM. From planning who's doing what and when it's going to be done, to making sure that everything's on schedule.
The reason that I took my job in the first place is that I knew that I wanted to get into a different part of the project process whether it be UX or even a PM. So I guess I lucked out that 1) I got the job, and 2) they recognized the fact that I'd be good in that type of role.
Senior year of high school. I found out I could write, and write new articles well; I enjoyed doing it and wanted to continue doing it.
Fast forward four years and I'm still working my way through college towards a journalism degree. Advice from parents and boss' made me second guess myself and I decided to turn towards Radiation Therapy. It was a poor decision, but ultimately made me more ambitious to become a journalist.
Fast forward four years and I'm still working my way through college towards a journalism degree. Advice from parents and boss' made me second guess myself and I decided to turn towards Radiation Therapy. It was a poor decision, but ultimately made me more ambitious to become a journalist.
fatigues_gasolini
Member
I want to be a producer in the games industry, got my bachelors in management and now getting my masters. Looking at my prospects I'll probably never make it without starting at an entry level job
Winterfang
Banned
I haven't yet. 
So in Quebec we have CEGEP after high school (high school ends at grade 11) and that was really helpful for me.
I took a two year science curriculum and it helped me focus on what I'm good at and what I enjoy.
I was going back and forth between something academic like pursuing theoretical physics or moving in a more applied field. My time at the cegep helped me choose the applied field and I went into mechanical engineering in university. I don't regret it.
I feel some of the math needed for high level physics is just above my brain to come to grips with (university math courses and some of the higher level theory courses really drove this home)
I took a two year science curriculum and it helped me focus on what I'm good at and what I enjoy.
I was going back and forth between something academic like pursuing theoretical physics or moving in a more applied field. My time at the cegep helped me choose the applied field and I went into mechanical engineering in university. I don't regret it.
I feel some of the math needed for high level physics is just above my brain to come to grips with (university math courses and some of the higher level theory courses really drove this home)
Always loved writing as I was a kid. I looked forward to those assignments in elementary school where the teacher gave us our weekly vocabulary words and we had to use them in stories. As I got older, I worked on the school's "official" web news, back when the pages were filled with animated gifs of dancing babies and flaming skulls. Then they asked me in my last year of middle school if I wanted to write a weekly column for the local newspaper. I loved it and knew that's what I was going to do. Too bad I'm too much of a perfectionist to finish my damn book, and my job pays absolute shit.
triplestation
Member
Now. I'm 22 years old and I'm dropping Fine Art like its hot, going into Industrial Design/Mech Engineering.
Inspirations for my decision:
Inspirations for my decision:
After playing Donkey Kong Country for the first time when I was 5 my interest in video games grew.
It wasn't till I got my N64 ( maybe 7 years old? ) that I knew I wanted to make games. No idea what I wanted to do in this field (programming, art, game design), or what the process of "making a game" was but I knew I wanted to be involved.
But it wasn't until I was 17 in Senior year when I figured out that I specifically wanted to do art in games.
Now in my fourth year of college, 21, I've settled into Game Animation
Just do whatever feels right OP. And do what you can picture yourself doing every day. This time in your life is for exploration! So don't feel discouraged if you're a bit lost.
It wasn't till I got my N64 ( maybe 7 years old? ) that I knew I wanted to make games. No idea what I wanted to do in this field (programming, art, game design), or what the process of "making a game" was but I knew I wanted to be involved.
But it wasn't until I was 17 in Senior year when I figured out that I specifically wanted to do art in games.
Now in my fourth year of college, 21, I've settled into Game Animation
Just do whatever feels right OP. And do what you can picture yourself doing every day. This time in your life is for exploration! So don't feel discouraged if you're a bit lost.
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
In all reality for most people you don't decide what career, you take one. I think you can eventually get to the one you wanted, but right out of school you take a solid job and move from there.
I'm 26 and I haven't gotten to the job I want yet. I have a solid job, but as a marketing grad working in IT I never fathomed how my career path would go. Now that I have a steady job I can work on finding something in the field I want to be in.
dinazimmerman
Incurious Bastard
high school: "economic forces drive the course of history herp derp"
college: econ major
now: going to grad school next year to become an economist!
college: econ major
now: going to grad school next year to become an economist!
While I was in college, all I knew was that I wanted to work in the movie business. After I graduated, I pursued a few different paths until I found one I truly enjoyed. I've been doing it ever since.
Although I started college as Pre-med. That lasted until I took Organic Chemistry.
Although I started college as Pre-med. That lasted until I took Organic Chemistry.
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