Wednesday May 27, 2009 at 7:56 am
Degenerate
I was driving in my car yesterday when a radio DJ announced that Blink-182 would be performing in Pittsburgh this summer, and I sort of immediately squealed aloud. But then, when I got to thinking, I realized I wasn’t that excited. I don’t really like Blink-182 anymore, let alone follow them enough to know they were even touring again. And then it registered — I’ve reached the age wherein I’m subconsciously thrilled about bands I’m currently uninterested in because they provided significant background music to a much earlier period of my life.
And the fact that I marked that occasion as a significant occurrence without giving much thought to the actuality of Saturday being my last ever day of college shows how meaningful a role higher education has played in my life.
I’ve been saying for a year now that I wish I would’ve studied computer science or web design. While I don’t regret my major, which ended up being English lit (though I was only a handful of credits away from creative writing), it may have been a good idea to study something more career-oriented, as I’ve been hired to code three websites in the last two months, and not one person has offered to pay me for a pretty poem.
I do have a pretty good outlook on things, though. Twitter has my back, y’all.
(Thanks to everyone, even the jerks who landed their major-related dream jobs, for your responses, and Burgh Baby for the original tweet.)
I was driving in my car yesterday when a radio DJ announced that Blink-182 would be performing in Pittsburgh this summer, and I sort of immediately squealed aloud. But then, when I got to thinking, I realized I wasn’t that excited. I don’t really like Blink-182 anymore, let alone follow them enough to know they were even touring again. And then it registered — I’ve reached the age wherein I’m subconsciously thrilled about bands I’m currently uninterested in because they provided significant background music to a much earlier period of my life.
And the fact that I marked that occasion as a significant occurrence without giving much thought to the actuality of Saturday being my last ever day of college shows how meaningful a role higher education has played in my life.
I’ve been saying for a year now that I wish I would’ve studied computer science or web design. While I don’t regret my major, which ended up being English lit (though I was only a handful of credits away from creative writing), it may have been a good idea to study something more career-oriented, as I’ve been hired to code three websites in the last two months, and not one person has offered to pay me for a pretty poem.
I do have a pretty good outlook on things, though. Twitter has my back, y’all.
(Thanks to everyone, even the jerks who landed their major-related dream jobs, for your responses, and Burgh Baby for the original tweet.)
I am currently in my field (marketing) but I was strongly considering becoming an equine massage therapist for a while, but I was too afraid of the lack of money.
Holy moly! I’m amazed at all the people not doing what they went to school for. I went to school to be Dental Hygienist, and that’s what I do :)
My mom has a degree in sociology and has never used it. She’s a secretary now.
wow, i can’t believe the list of people who don’t do what they went to school for! it just keeps going! so is it even worth it to finish school with a degree you want to work in something else?
I almost majored in political science, but changed in my junior year to management information systems. So, for 10ish years out of school I was working in the field in which I studied.
Now? Not so much… although I still borrow on that knowledge frequently.
I feel the same way about Blink 182! I was excited when I heard that they were touring again…and then realized that I didn’t’ care to actually see them. I saw them when I was 16. 16!! 9 years later, I haven’t listened to them, yet still feel nostalgic. Good for them, still going.
As for the jobs, I’m actually somewhat in my field. Crazy, right? I studied Literature and am writing for a marketing company. At least i’m still doing something SOMEWHAT literary.
Sugar Ray has been my favorite since I was 10 years old. They’re playing a free concert in San Francisco next month. You can bet I’ll be there. Even though they’re not so great anymore, I’ve always loved them.
I not only have a BA in political science but a lovely master’s in international relations and communications. Currently working in global health, all communications related and a lot of web work.
If I could go back, I would do something along the lines of learning coding and creative design.
Most people don’t use their degrees. Surprisingly, you can somehow always reinvent what you want to do and eventually find your niche.
I’m one of that long list not “using” my major. I was Spanish Translation, and now I run the training department at a construction company. The closest I come to translating is when I try to make Engineerese make sense to English speakers. In my case, though, I knew I never was going to use my degree. I lived in Spain during high school and tested out of a great deal of classes for the major. It was all about getting a degree without spending too much money, and I saved about $10K by doing it (I graduated a full semester early). Definitely worth it.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
I actually ended up doing what I started out to do (teaching English Lit in college) but took a long, circuitous route to get here. I was a flight attendant, and then I went to law school and practiced law for four years, headed to Florida to ride horses, and finally went back to school for my Masters in Literature.
International Politics and Psychology.
Using it?
Notsomuch.
HA! I have a biology degree and I build websites. I have no idea how I got here, but whatever! I love it :)
I am 31 and have bever worked a day in my major… School is all about the experience.
That’s why you blog and have twitter… and your blog.
We must do what we have to do, so that we can do what we want to do.
I’m a CEO because I don’t have a degree.
i’m actually working in the field i studied but sometimes i wonder what would happen if i decided to do something completely different, haha.
I went to school in Technical Writing & Advertising, took one look at the industry (1 year of hard work in Chicago) and I ran!!! Advertising was scary!!! Today I work in a cafe as a catering coordinator. I love this job SO MUCH BETTER and I love my small hippie town in Michigan :-D
It’s funny the way things work out. I, for one, never imagined I would be doing what I am doing at this point in my life. While I WANTED to do this in college, I didn’t think it would happen. And now that I’m in the industry, I am not sure how much longer I want to be here. C’est la vie, you know?
At least you can make ends meet without the degree. That’s saying something about your skillz. (Yes, the Z has to be there.)
Way behind on this one (I’ve neglected my google reader), but count me in… I have a degree in film production, but I work in music management. Some people say “they’re both in entertainment,” but really, no. I do feel I’ve made use of a lot from my general college education (that is, I don’t feel it was a waste of time/money), but almost NONE of my film-specific education. Oh well. I enjoyed my time in school, and I enjoy my job now, and I’m good at it, and that’s all that matters. Of course, I’m supposed to be DOING that job now. Should get back to it.