Are you happy with you current major/job?

[wildphoenix1984]

I wanted to do Vet Nursing, but having been pushed towards Uni rather than collage day release, I had a bit of a breakdown and had to drop out. Following that I went into healthcare, and some days I can still appreciate the good we do... but some days everything is against you and I just want to beat my fists on the wall and cry. And I'm not talking 'the occasional bad day' - this is the NHS, for every good day there is a bad day.

[Weltraum]

My dream major would be engineering then going into research, but I'm happy with the IT/programming job I'm in now. Would maybe study engineering later.

[truthisbest7]

No I'm a trained bench jeweler and I am currently not working. I AM however getting ready to launch a new piece of jewelry on Etsy just for the ACE community. I am in the development stage and hope to have it up and running on Etsy in time for a few Christmas sales! This will be my first design in over 12 years. It is pretty much designed strictly for Asexuals. But if the design works it will be quite the statement piece and will speak volumes. People will want to know what the piece means and what it stands for. Then you will have the opportunity to explain to them what your special little piece of jewelry is all about! You should be able to go directly to Etsy. Details later! Peace :)

[Studebaker]

Im an electrologist and while i LOVE my income, i detest my job. I have to "play up the gay" to make women comfortable that i will be removing their pubic hair or whatever hair (seems to be 90% pubic hair). So im a walking stereotype when at work and truly despise it.

[AceOfWords]

So this 'what is your current major/job' poll gave me the idea for this topic. I wanted to elaborate it a bit further.

What I really wanna learn is, how many people who managed to get into the field they want, are happy now? And vice versa, who turned out to be happy with something they didn't want at first?

I'm studying engineering physics. Mind you, nobody forced me to study that, but it wasn't what I actually wanted, it definitely wasn't my first or even second choice. I wanna get my master's degree in aerospace (that was what I wanted btw), but what if it's not so magical at all? What if it won't make me happier? I'm kinda scared of that. Because I wanted it for so long, now my expectations are way too high.

What are your experiences?

I took up TESL, yet I wanted to actually be a journalist and novelist. I taught for a few years, yet while I enjoyed it and love my kids, I always felt like something was missing and I got internatlly frustrated at the fact that being a teacher meant staying in the entire campus for an entire day. Duh, of course, but I felt suffocated by it and I missed writing stories, which I couldn't do so much because of the things I had to do.

So, I quit and started looking for wrting jobs online. Like you, TardisBlue, I was afraid that things wouldn't be as magical as though they'd be, so, whenever I had visions of rainbows, I'd snap myself out of my delusions and illusions by reading up on life as a writer (freelance, online, etc.) and when I started reading blogs about successful freelance writers, I realized that it was a difficult job and so many myths I knew got busted. I don't regret it, though. I love it.

[whitesphere]

I have a funny story about Blessings in Disguise:

When I was a senior in high school, I dreamed of being a Biomedical Engineer --- even though I couldn't STAND opening up the frog in Biology (got a C). Now, I had shown a LOT of computer skill, got a perfect yearly average in the AP computer course. Looking back, it was obvious to me that I should have gone into computer science straight away.

But I had been accepted to a biomed program. However, at the last minute the financial aid fell through.

So I ended up going to a different school for computer science at a very good technical school, which is what I should have chosen in the first place.

Now I'm very happy working as a computer programmer, which is what I went to school for.

[Ace-TheTimelordsCompanion]

I said I'm happy but it isn't what I chose. The truth is, I don't know. I got a two-year diploma in acting (what I wanted), but we all know what a stable job market that is haha *sarcasm, sarcasm*

So now I am about to start re-training as a media designer, with a minor in computer science. I think I'll love it, but I am scared that I won't or that I won't be employed when I finish.

[Melody.ExE]

I'm not an ambitious sort of person. I did well in school for a long time, planned on going to university, but there was nothing I really wanted to do, I changed my mind so often, and ended up not going at all.

By happenstance, I fell into accountancy (as an apprentice), which I'd never even considered before. The subject matter is interesting, and it suits my numerical brain, but I wouldn't say I love it. I won't continue to study to become a chartered accountant, technician level is enough to me. As long as I have the skills to maintain a job, and earn enough money to pay the bills, it's enough. I would rather be content in a mid-level job, than be stressed in a higher-up position. I like being able to stop work at 5:00, and not have to take anything home with me.

I guess the gist of what I'm trying to say is: I don't love my job, but there are still plenty of other things in life to make me happy.

[Literary X]

I knew I was destined to teach by the time I was three, and I'm currently majoring in Early Childhood Education... you bet I'm happy with it!

[Loki]

It's a job that pays the bills for 9 years. I've not found a different job that I would have enjoyed.

[pipsuxx]

i've wanted to be a vet since i can remember remembering and i'm in year two of five at vet school so yeah, it's working out. i don't know how enthusiastic i am any more but at the same time i love science and can't think of anything that's more appealing, so sticking with it definitely seems the best option.

[DiEvAl]

Of course I'd rather study in a university like Oxford or MIT, but I'm pretty happy with what I have.

(I hope no one from admission offices is reading this;-) )

[Moon Ace]

Oxford isn't always the best university for everyone and everything and quite frankly... There are people there who are a bit up their own backsides. It does open doors because of it's name though.

[ranting ferret]

went with yes as my overall answer. i've already graduated and i am very happy that i got the degree i did (art). i learned more about myself from those classes than i ever would have thought. it is something that i find myself doing even when i don't have to be doing anything. making stuff really makes me happy. so i have no regrets about my major.

however, the job i have right now is not where i want to be. i don't absolutely hate it, but i want something else. other work that i've done has been similar, even though they've not had much to do with my degree. i've had a hard time getting something i want to truly stay with with the location/circumstances i'm in at the moment. but i can still have my art and that's helping me somewhat in the meantime.

[pyroshadow]

I went with:

Yes, it was what I wanted to study/do

But that's not fully true...

For you "young-ones" I shall tell you now, when I first entered Uni, it's because I wanted to be a game developer, but what I wanted to do changed like 4 times while I was there, so don't be afraid if you still got no idea xD

I studied a very broad set of subjects based around game making, web and app development, wearable tech, and basic video editing (I tacked on some furniture making, and also did a cert in SFX Make-up).

I left still not really knowing what I wanted to do except maybe produce music videos which kinda wasn't technically my qualification, I didn't want to find a real job as I enjoyed casual work in my local comic shop, but I somehow magically ended up in an IT based role in a VFX company and it is amazing and best thing ever that happened to me and its because of the broad scope of interrelated subjects in my degree that they wanted me =) so it kinda all worked out

[FreyLokey]

I don't know how you would classify this. I love the major I took (graphic design) and I'm glad I graduated with a degree for it. What I'm not happy with is the inability to find a job within my field. It's been a true struggle for 2 years now and the most common problem I keep finding is they all want at least 2 or 3 years of experience plus work with certain programs I've never heard of. Also I can't afford to do an unpaid internship. I feel so stuck right now.

[interpol]

I'm still in school and will finish this August.

I am hearing things from recent grads though about how they hate their jobs, and I'm hoping I don't wind up like that. I think this was the right program for me but I went to the wrong school for it.

[pyroshadow]

I don't know how you would classify this. I love the major I took (graphic design) and I'm glad I graduated with a degree for it. What I'm not happy with is the inability to find a job within my field. It's been a true struggle for 2 years now and the most common problem I keep finding is they all want at least 2 or 3 years of experience plus work with certain programs I've never heard of. Also I can't afford to do an unpaid internship. I feel so stuck right now.

My degree had a similar sort of problem, I was incredibly lucky to land an entry level job with some relevance to my degree with a chance to move into areas of my actual degree. (Doing IT ish work for Design-y people even though I studied design not IT)

[element83]

I'm studying engineering because it's what my parents want me to study (well, they gave me a choice between that or accounting... I decided I wanted to go with the more science-y option). I thought it would still be pretty cool, because science, but I'm not really enjoying it at the moment (then again, I've been told that a lot of things are horrible in the first year, so... maybe it'll get better).

I really enjoy biochemistry (and I actually gatecrashed a biochemistry course this semester, because it was about metabolism and that's the coolest thing ever), so I'm wondering if I can maybe steer my engineering studies in that direction, to make it more enjoyable for myself.

[Ficulnean]

I'm studying sociology and psychology. I'm very happy with this, and it is what I intended.

[whybobby]

I have a graduation in Biology (although I've never planned to be a biologist - I did this because I wanted to be a writer and everyone said it would be a waste of time). Anyway, I've never got to work as a biologist in my life, so I started to teach English as a foreign language and used to LOVE it, until an anxiety disorder messed up my brain and I had to quit my job. I have been working with translations ever since, and I quite like it, but I'm not fully happy with this occupation. I have no idea what I want to do, however, and I'm feeling really lost.

[Larien]

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