TLDR: What should I do with my life?

[Gnarles Bronson]

I've thought about writing this for a long time, and, being the first day of my eighth year in school, now's as good a time as any.

As short as I can make it:

I don't know how to make life decisions. I don't see how anyone can; the repercussions of major decisions (like choosing a major) you will live with for the rest of your life. I'm trying to decide whether to finish my degree in philosophy, or to take a term or two longer and get a degree in Environmental science. I'm 26, and started going to school when I was 18 (started and stopped a couple of times), have about a 3.6, and I will be about $50,000 in debt by the time I graduate:: what's worse is I have five different student loan providers (because I started and stopped so many times) so I will have start making 250 dollar a month in payments.

Pros and Cons:

I'm really good at philosophy. I always have been. I'm good at analyzing writing--whether it's poetry, fiction, or nonfiction--and teasing out meaning. I'm good at writing, for the most part. I lived with a lawyer for about 4 years and he said I would make a good lawyer. I got a 165 on a professional LSAT practice exam and think if I really tried I could get a 180.

Although I think I could eventually get a professional job in a nonprofit after I graduate, having volunteered in my city at a homeless advocacy group, the idea of working some shit service job to get started or as a backup is pretty haunting. Also the idea of not being able to get a job outside of my city is pretty haunting.

I love science, and love the idea of working outside. I'm from Hawaii, so environmental science would be a good step into my dream job of being a park ranger there.

I had my first day of Environmental science classes today, and was basically scared. I'm not good at it, I'm not particularly good at math (though not so bad), but I am really bad at certain aspects of science. For one, I can't remember anything, which is kind of important. Biology is basically my nightmare because it's all taxonomy and the names of organs and bullshit like that. Also I'm just not interested in a lot of what I'm learning (meteorology? snoozefest).

Thats it. I don't know if anyone will read this or whatever, but I'm taking a breather now and am gonna watch an episode of sherlock before I either dive into the insanity or give up and go with what I know, so please let me know if you've made it this far and have any advice or anything.


Cliffs and other:

Philosophy Pros:
I like politics and could lead to something in that.
Could probably do more drugs.
Easy
Maybe more true to myself? or something?
Could take another year of japanese, then teach english there which is something I've wanted to do.

Philosophy Cons:
No money without law degree
everyone has a liberal arts degree so they are undervalued.
Being 26 and in a class with 18 year olds trying to philosophize is annoying.
Have to hang out with boring people.

Environmental Science Degree:
Way hard for me.
Hawaii.
Job security.
Science degrees are valued.
take 1 or 2 terms longer (would be almost 29).
Is only doing something because it would be hard as bad as not doing something because its hard?

 

[alasdairm]

I don't know how to make life decisions. I don't see how anyone can...

any decision - and particularly 'big life decisions' - are made much easier the better you know yourself. how well do you know yourself? if your answer is 'not very well', there are things you can do to improve that.

...the repercussions of major decisions (like choosing a major) you will live with for the rest of your life.

not necessarily.

...so I will have start making 250 dollar a month in payments.

if you start out making, say only $35,000 a year - which is a pretty low starting salary for a graduate depending on niche - your take-home pay would be about $2400 a month. $250 is very affordable in that case.

Also the idea of not being able to get a job outside of my city is pretty haunting.

lots of things are pretty haunting. there must be a motivational poster to inspire you here perhaps "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore". so you don't get a job outside your city on first attempt? try again.

...my dream job of being a park ranger there.

if that's your dream job, make it happen.

I had my first day of Environmental science classes today, and was basically scared. I'm not good at it...

of course you're no good at it. it was your first day! you'll get better. that's why you're there.

For one, I can't remember anything, which is kind of important.

not necessarily. recall is important but it's not everything. your brain is like your body - it gets better with exercise. the more you practice remembering, the better able you'll be to remember. also, having primary source information at your fingertips is useful but secondary sources are useful too and knowing those will give you access - albeit at one level of abstraction - to more information. finally, tools are better these days - you can outsource information to devices which cuts down on the amount you have to remember personally.

good luck.

alasdair

 

[Belisarius]

In my op, what you'd say is your dream job--that field that you not only love, but enjoy reading about or poking about in your spare time--is probably the right one. The job prospects are red herring; you'll be worth a lot more in a limited field that you're balls to the walls about than in a more open one that you're indifferent to, and employers will see it.

Good luck.