Theme of the week: what could have been.
And here I was thinking that the cool thing in life was to live without regrets.
No, I have not spiraled into the dreary depths of regret and stare longingly out my window every night. I am, however, curious as to what path I may have been on if I continued with my Major track in English.
This sudden curiosity did not spontaneously spring up out of the dusty corners of the filing cabinet labeled “Career Aspirations” in my brain. I had a lovely little discussion with a Professor of the Classics (Greek that is), when my ASC SC club had him in for dinner. I listened to him deliriously ooze his love of English and literature.
Ah…to be passionate. I was like that once about English—but then I listened to the voice in my head that said:
“ You won’t make money. You couldn’t support yourself! All you can do with an English degree is become a teacher or go to law school…Be smart Amanda!! Don’t waste money on that kind of degree”.
I probably should have punched that snide little voice in the face and continued, perhaps with a dual degree in what I study now.
Stupid, snarky voice.
So is it I regret? You know what? I don’t think that’s what I will call it—it’s really just another realization I have come to towards the end of my college career. Not just because I hate the idea of having a 'regret'...it most definitely doesn't mean the end of that potential path. I do dearly enjoy what I study now and still love literature. I am only 22 and have plenty of time to continue what I love.
After all, that filing cabinet labeled “Career Aspirations” in my brain does hold a file that says “school bus driver”.
I’m not really regretting that one.
Ahhhh...the eternal struggle between passion and pocketbook. I faced a similar struggle in college and ended up obtaining a general business degree because that was the one thing common to the "passions" I pursued, they all had a business element. You are young and have a lifetime to explore your passions, but you gotta pay the mortgage first.
ReplyDelete"Passion and pocketbook"-- I like the way you put it. Pocketbook has definitely triumphed this time, but you are right. I'm young. That little voice did make sense as much as I didn't like it...oh, but now to find a job in this economy!
ReplyDeleteI ended up with an electrical engineering degree because I knew I could always find a job. Now I've been a stay-at-home mom for almost fourteen years and an aspriring writer for several of those. You never know where life will take you, no matter what degree you graduate with.
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