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Choosing my future
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| dandy22 |
Posted on June 26 2012 01:44 AM
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Member
Location: No value
Posts: 82
Joined: 2010-06-04
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Hi guys,
I'm in the process of choosing my classes for college this year and I'm a little bit torn. I took a psychology class back in high school and I really loved it, I found the concepts to be very interesting. I have been considering majoring in it, however, there is another love in my life; art. I have a need to create beautiful things, and art, well it makes me happy.
I just can't decide. Majoring in psychology just seems more secure and practical and the money is pretty good from what I understand. The downside is that a lot of psychology careers require at least a masters degree. I don't have a problem going to school if it's for something I really enjoy. But what if I get a bachelors degree and decide i don't really like psychology. Or what if I'm not smart enough to do it?
And then there's art, my first love. The careers don't always pay as well as those in psychology and they don't seem as secure. I mean when the economy takes a turn for the worst the arts are usually the first thing people let go, right? Also what if no one likes my art and I can't find a job any where? On the other hand it feeds my soul and gives me a feeling words can hardly describe. When I'm creating a piece of art, it just feels like nothing else matters. When I complete a piece of artwork it feels like I've completed a piece of myself. Art just gives me the feeling that everything is going to be okay. I've already spent too much of my life being unhappy and I don't want to do it for the rest of my life, but the bills need to get paid too.
When I was little and would think about what to be when I grew up i changed my mind a billion and one times. But I always thought that when it came time for me to actually choose what to do with my life I would just know and not have to think twice about it.
What would you guys do if you were in my situation?
Equations are the devil's sentences. -Stephen Colbert |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on June 26 2012 01:59 PM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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As far as practicality, yes, Psychology is the better choice. But like you said, you need at least a Master's degree in Psychology or Counseling to work in a clinical capacity, and in most cases you need a Ph.D. So you're looking at an 8-10 year commitment total in higher ed if you want to work as a psychologist. Is that something you are willing to commit yourself to?
There are fewer practical options with a degree in the fine arts, but you will absolutely love it. I have a few friends who were fine arts majors and they all enjoyed and benefited from it tremendously. They were pushed to their limits and sometimes hated their professors, but ultimately they became better artists and better consumers of art because of it. One of my friends is a very successful design consultant now with her degree in fine arts. Another friend of mine with a fine arts degree is a valet driver at a restaurant. There are no guarantees.
Ultimately nobody can tell you what is right for you, except you. Have you taken classes at the college level in the fine arts yet? I would encourage you to do that, and see if you like having your art scrutinized and having yourself pushed to expand as an artist. You may find that as much as you love art, you would rather keep it as a hobby instead of making it a career move. Just something to consider.
You can also look at my post about the perks of a degree in the liberal arts for more of my thoughts about the benefits of degrees in the social sciences (like psychology). It's around here somewhere!
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on June 26 2012 08:41 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6101
Joined: 2008-05-25
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6/26/12
Dandy22, since you were brave enough to put your question 'out there', I'll go ahead and share my little gems of wisdom on the subject. I agree with Kat that psychology would definitely provide a good living,... and I agree 'again' that this is dependant on having a Masters at it. Also, yes, there are a few exceptional artists (or artists with exceptional connections) who can actually make a living at it. (BTW, did you know that Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime?) I got into the BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) program at my Uni. This is a much longer haul than the BA in Art, or the Education degree with an emphasis in Art (to be an art teacher). In the end, I left the BFA program, not really because of the end result of 'how would I make a living', but because of way that the whole degree was structured, allowing such entirely subjective judgment by just one person, etc. A BA in Spanish will be more likely to provide me with an income. Better yet, a Master's in Spanish. But the good news was that the art department gave me a Minor in Studio Art. I already had enough credits for this. So, if I ever become a Spanish teacher, I can still go and take a government test ($120) and get certified as an art teacher, too!
But here's the best info I can give you. It was given to me by an art teacher of 30 years experience, mostly teaching in a community college. He said that, right now, he can't encourage anyone to major in art. This, because he says that there are just no jobs hiring for it right now. And yet, he says that while he was getting his degree in zoology, he always took an art course whenever he could 'to keep his sanity'. So, in this both he and you express the same love of art. It's important to me, too. I'm trying to see how I might weasle myself into 'just one more art class' before I finish with college. In the end, my art-teacher-friend got both his degree in zoology and a BA in Art,... not a BFA in art, but enough for him to have the 'fun job' of teaching art these many years. So, there you have it. You sound like a true artist. - jus' |
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on June 27 2012 03:33 PM
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Member
Location: No value
Posts: 3037
Joined: 2008-12-31
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hi dandy and 'jus,
I'm glad you posted some thoughts for dandy, 'jsu - I saw this and was pondering it and with all the hectic here <have accepted offer on our house and home inspection tomorrow>, I haven't gotten back to it so I'm glad you were able to.
dandy, those are tough questions. The advice 'jus relayed generally and particularly from the art teacher seems especially timely.
I know how hard it can be to figure this kind of stuff out.
Let us know how things are going- |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on July 07 2012 04:26 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6101
Joined: 2008-05-25
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7/7/12
Dandy,
I was talking to a young woman at my college's main library recently, who had majored in psychology and graduated, but is now working on her Masters,... except that she's chosen not to do her Masters in psychology. She's doing a Masters in Social Work instead, because she likes what programs the Social Workers get to work in better than what she would be doing if she were a psychologist.
I asked her if she feels that she's 'behind' in those Masters classes, being that some of the other students may have already done their BA in SW. She said, 'no', because those who did their BA in Social Work got to go on to more advanced classes in their Masters program. She said that she in starting her Masters classes together with other students who got their BA in 'all different' disciplines. So, I just wanted to tell you about this, in case you are still contemplating whether or not to do psychology,... not that it's anything 'definitive' for you. - jus' |
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| shinybusa |
Posted on July 07 2012 07:57 PM
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Member
Location: wales ..uk
Posts: 26
Joined: 2011-03-22
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I'm a serving Police Officer...and I'm being hammered in work due to my Dyscalculia....
Looking at leaving the Police and going back into soldiering, my previous profession....basically becoming a mercenary....
looks like the only option left to me.... |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on July 08 2012 08:26 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6101
Joined: 2008-05-25
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7/8/12
Hi shinybusa,
So nice to see you again. Sorry that dyscalculia is hindering you in your job. I hope you won't mind if I send you a PM with my thoughts? - jus' |
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on July 11 2012 02:56 PM
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Member
Location: No value
Posts: 3037
Joined: 2008-12-31
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hello shinybusa, I''m sorry to read about this happening with you, we are here for you! |
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| Abrazame |
Posted on July 12 2012 01:16 AM
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Member
Location: South suburbs of Chicago
Posts: 20
Joined: 2011-04-26
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shinybusa wrote:
I'm a serving Police Officer...and I'm being hammered in work due to my Dyscalculia....
Looking at leaving the Police and going back into soldiering, my previous profession....basically becoming a mercenary....
looks like the only option left to me....
May I ask why your dyscalculia is making things difficult? |
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