the ~Ask Anyone Anything~ thread

[Brawny]

Still i am not officially happy, and honestly i dont think anyone ever should be. You should always want to be in a better position.

That gets a bit dangerous. A "better" position of managing engineers isn't for me. I'd be all paperwork and no actual engineering anymore.

 

[Celeste]

I have a question for all of you that are in college/university and beyond.

When did you know what you wanted to do with your life, and what events/information helped you come to that conclusion?

I will never understand the people that say they 'just knew' what they wanted to major in. I have no idea what I want to do and it's getting to the point where I shouldn't be saying "No worries, that's a long way off" anymore. Because I'm in a Post-Secondary program, I pretty much need to know what I'm going into before my first year of college, because I'll already have most of my generic classes done with. I generally enjoy the social sciences more than most other subjects, but I just don't see those as being reliable jobs. I also like writing, but I'm not educated enough in a specific topic to write books, and I also don't like the idea of getting payed according to my performance as a writer and not through a reliable rate, which scares me. I don't know, I guess I'm just worried because my cousin is in the exact same situation I am except he's going to college next year, and I don't want that to be me.

I had to have my path chosen by 16. As I've discussed before, I'm another one of those people who completely excels at anything deemed impractical. Fantastic grades in English, Political Science, Law (okay, law isn't impractical), World Issues, Writer's Craft, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, etc. I've known forever that anything I'd end up taking in school would be...abstract, and not lead directly to a career. That's disenchanting and unfortunate. I was urged by three different teachers, to major in their three respective areas of study: English/Writing, Political Science, and Instrumental Music. EVERYONE around me discouraged me from taking music, except my teacher and a few classmates. There aren't many job openings for professional flutists, let's just be honest. A flutist will sit in symphony orchestra as long as a Supreme Court justice sits on the bench. Until they're dead, basically. So, there went that idea. I briefly considered writing, but decided against it. My strength in writing is non-fiction. I don't have the imagination to write fictitious novels or screenplays and I wasn't interested in trying at such a critical academic level. University isn't the time to discover what you're good at, in my opinion. It's the time to build on it. I just want to obtain the best possible grades, after all.
So...yeah. That brought me to something I've been fascinated by since I witnessed the inner-workings of a school election at 9 years old. Politics. I knew it was something I could handle four years of. I knew I'd be an active participant in my classes, whether they consisted of 30 pupils or 300 pupils. It's something I'm confident of my knowledge in, and even if I wasn't always interested in what I was learning, I felt I could ultimately understand its importance and appreciate that it would make me more well rounded. That's a huge part of what University is about, to me. Being able to stomach irrelevant theoretical bullshit because you know it holds SOME significance, in an "end justifies the means" type of way. University is tedious, redundant and insufferable at times. You have to make sure you're actually interested in the general area in which you've chosen to focus. If you major in something because you know it'll result in big paycheques...don't. You likely won't make it through the four years.

I'll be finished my 2nd year in 2 months. I've learned a lot and am excited for grad school. I'm starting to know exactly what I want to do, which, honestly, I really didn't in the beginning. I've never wanted to be an elected official (probability of being a principal flutist would be exceedingly higher) but at first I thought I'd attempt a career in political journalism. Definitely not now, not unless it's in addition to something else. The areas that interest me are polling, consulting, strategizing and advising. If I get nowhere, I'll go to law school. With my undergraduate grades and hopefully excellent grad school grades, that's not going to be hard.

EDIT: And before entering Uni, I went to college for Graphic Design. All I have to show for it is a portfolio several employers called "impressive" at the school's showcase for industry employers. And a piece of paper saying I graduated. With honors. Big deal, people want experience. It's not the piece of paper they want Scott, it's expeeeeerience. You can be amazing, but if you're straight out of school (or certainly if you didn't even go to school), you won't be chosen over someone lackluster with 2-5 years of experience clearly laid out on their resume with references.

 

[Gikoku Harakami]

Sorry bud, but thats not true. The graphic design field is a very complicated one. The kid comin out of college is definitely not gettin that job, most companies want at least 2-4 years experience in the field. Thats why a lot of graphic designers join the Freelancers Union to get that experience. But honestly unless you have the clientele or know people, you should start lookin else where. But keep graphics on the side.

Yeah, but isn't the Freelancers Union only available to independent workers in New York? I am going to continue looking, but it's really annoying.. Oh, and you definitely don't look like the accounting type. lol

And before entering Uni, I went to college for Graphic Design. All I have to show for it is a portfolio several employers called "impressive" at the school's showcase for industry employers. And a piece of paper saying I graduated. With honors. Big deal, people want experience. It's not the piece of paper they want Scott, it's expeeeeerience. You can be amazing, but if you're straight out of school (or certainly if you didn't even go to school), you won't be chosen over someone lackluster with 2-5 years of experience clearly laid out on their resume with references.

It really gets on my nerves, if only it came down to just "Are you able to do the job? Let's see examples of your work.". One of my friends spoke of places that sometimes skip the "experience" requirement if they see your work is good enough.. but I've yet to come across any.

 

[Bliss]

Yeah, but isn't the Freelancers Union only available to independent workers in New York?

Nope
http://www.freelancersunion.org/faqs/index.html

http://www.freelancersunion.org/insurance/are-you-eligible.html#

 

[Bowserizer]

Name 7 members who you'd like to be in the house with
Nick
Scott
Celeste
Tyler
Tyler
CJ
Jam

Thats a pretty sweet house.

In response to Leve's question about careers, I have always loved to tell people things. As juvenile as that sounds, communicating information has always been something I have loved to do. Even as a little kid I would make mock-newspapers for whoever cared to read them, and I've kept up that interest as I've gotten older. I've always wanted to get into Journalism, and because thats a major in many good schools, thats where I've always been looking. Writing has always come easy to me and I've never thought of doing anything else with my life (save maybe becoming a lawyer).

 

[LevesqueIsKing]

Thanks a lot, everyone.

 

[surfinrach90]

After I had trudged through the first 4yrs of highschool unsure of what to do, each of my art teachers opened my eyes to two things... One introduced me to Photoshop, the other photography.

From then I wanted to find out if a career could be made from these two interests, as I had no idea of what else to do when I finished school. After investigating, I found some courses, and then discovered a place that would let me get the full degree in half the time that other places offered, not enjoying school that much I took this option, and have been happy ever since.

Where will the future take me? I'm not quite sure yet, at the end of this year I hope I can find a solid job, or start my own business.

And I'd still like to travel a bit.....Japan is looking good atm.

Keen to get an old place on the edge of the city and do it all up awesome cool like....thats a bit of a dream...or an apartment IN the city and do the same thing.

Kinda similar really.
Like Celeste, had to chose my path at like 15/16 or something. Took subjects for the sake of having to take them, and that was my GCSE's done. Went to college because it was the norm, took photography because I was really interested in the subject, and always liked taking photos. Took other subject for the sake of having to take them. Dropped a subject in the first year, so after two years didn't have enough to get to university.

Okay, to cut a long story short (and because my friend is on her way.) I coudn't think of doing anything else with my life other than photography. I always enjoyed learning, but school and college was never about learning interesting things sadly, it was just about learning what you need to pass the course, so after realising that pretty quickly I didn't put much effort in.

Now I'm at BK just so I've got money coming in to pay for a car, so I can get around, and some equipment for my photgraphy. And I'm just working my way up. Gathering a lot of people who are interested in my work, and using me for family portraits, weddings, and whatnot. And I want to end up doing travel/wildlife photography.

And that's all I'll say for now, I might add more to this later, but have to go!

 

[Deanis]

haha the dream innit.

 

[ssbb_lover]

Name 7 members who you'd like to be in the house with
Nick
Scott
Celeste
Tyler
Tyler
CJ
Jam

New season of Real World, anyone?

 

[Bowserizer]

New season of Real World, anyone?

I. AM. IN! :lol:

caps

 

[Foxy]

CJ, why is your arse never on msn mang?

 

[ssbb_lover]

How was your Valentine's Day?

 

[elopez994]

Pretty boring, talked to this girl I hadn't talked to in forever. =(

How was your Valentines Day?

 

[ssbb_lover]

Beyond outstanding. Thanks.

 

[1337endo]

How was your Valentine's Day?

Bland. Worked, went to dinner with family. Good to hear yours was good.