Eh, Discouraged... Again.

[ylrebmik]

Some people who I consider to be close to be (3 close friends and brother) along with random people at school have mentioned things to me lately, especially day that has threw me into a loop hole. The first thing that I can ever remember actually really enjoying or having a "passion" for when I was younger was crafts.... and writing, especially. Comm Arts, Grammer, Essays, etc. make me tingly and happy. (I love, love writing essays and such) These things have always come natural and I've been told I'm a fairly to very nice writer. Well, science is a little different but since I was interested in it... I pushed myself very hard to "be good at it". I've wanted to be a veterinarian for two years now and it seems so silly and ridiculous to be questioning this as my future. My brother especially is very partial to me doing something with writing and if I "don't choose as soon as I get to college... I'll get screwed over and won't graduate in time" I realize I need to do some heavy shadowing and see if this is completely 100% what I want... I'm young and most of the times things change when people get to college, right? I finally got over my "obsession of college and the future" and now I feel I was knocked back down. This is more of a ranting of some sort then a "what should I do with my life" because I know the reality is that it is clearly up to me, and I realize I would never actually be good enough to be a full time writer as my only financial support. However, it's something I've thought about a lot when I was younger and now that I actually have everything "set".. I feel very discouraged. I was trying to work this out with other people instead of resorting to an online forum but everyone pretty much told me that I should do both or just wade it out. Not the best thing for a stressed out crazy person with a huge stomach ache with three hours ahead of her.

Ahh.... so I guess my question out of my little high school drama, not that big of a deal situation is.... does anyone else feel discouraged? Not by people telling you that you wouldn't be able to do this... but some other strain? I guess it would help if others were in the same sinking boat. I just need a lifevest.


Please forgive me for the ranting.

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[bookgodess15]

All the time, hon, all the time. I'm sort of the family joke, really, for even wanting to go to college. The doctor thing nearly puts them into hysterics.

Also, I love to write. Do you do NaNoWriMo? You should! It's so much fun! Anyway, I thought about writing professionally for a few months, but you know, it's such a hard field to make a living off of and besides that, I live off of stress. I need to be busy 24/7, and I need to constantly be doing new things and learning, otherwise I get bored and then I get complacent, and that's when things go downhill. Writing, while in no way lazy, is not something that's going to keep me stressed for hours straight. So in the end, I elected to go for medicine and hopefully publish some small things on the side.

I guess what worries me is if the medicine-thing doesn't work out, where will I turn? The only other option I can really think of, besides writing, is sign language. I'm semi-fluent and with some time, could become skilled enough to become a translator ot a teacher of some sort. I don't know.

But you're definitely not alone!

 

[habibah91]

No problem. We all rant.

I'm like that, too. Change my mind all the time. But now I think I'm pretty set for dental school. However, when I go to college I'll major in like chemistry so I always have something to fall back (just in case). Chemists make good salaries, good lifestyle, plus the thought of mixing things together is so cool to me - I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I used to be an English person (before high school). I'm a science person now thanks to doubling up on it through high school each year. I gave up reading to accomodate studying my workload.

So don't worry. We're young, we're immature, we're crazy - heck, that's what a teenager is. Follow your thoughts - they'll lead you to places you never knew and in the end you'll be happy. ^_^

habibah

 

[lemoncurry]

the thing is, you can go to college and major in english/creative writing/whatever and still get into professional school. If writing is something you really like, then go after it and take your prereqs at the same time. You may need another year, but who says that you have to do college in exactly 4 years anyway?

While certain majors like biology and chemistry may better prepare one for professional school, i personally think it is in the student's best interest to major in something they actually like.

 

[marieantoinette]

Try not to worry too much about what other people say, I tend to get caught up on if I measure up to the other students who are interested in going into science and trying to plan every detail of my future.

At the risk of sounding incredibly corny, if you really have a passion for something, there is a way to make it work.

Don't worry too much about all of your extracurriculars required for your vet school application quite yet, just focus on working hard on your basic sciences and try a few shadowing or volunteering things, and if you like them then start loading up on activities.

Plus, in the science field you could always get your writing in through research publications and such.

 

[prahadude]

always try your best...
but dont hope that taking medicine will be like a walk in the park

THATS a headstart for U!!!

 

[ylrebmik]

It's not like I'm being fickle. I'm much like bookgoddess... I live for feeling stress and couldn't picture having such a relaxed life style and not being constantly busy. My planned major for college IS English. I would love to be able to write on the side... not good enough to professionally write but that would be amazing if I got to that point. I can't even imagine at this point wanting anything more than I want to be a veterinarain... I might burst if something ever gets to that point. But I'm really passionate about writing as well so people have really made me just stand back and look at things once more. So I'm still going to become a veterinarian... but write for fun on the side unless I miraculously become an amazing writer? haha. Either way, I'm extremly excited to launch undergrad and persue vet... and writing.

Thanks for the replys! I feel a lot better today. Now if I could just get my hands from shaking. haha offtopic, yes, but it's bothering me. I feel like the older people who hands shake as they give me money at the register at my old job. Ahh...

 

[Pigeon]

It's not like I'm being fickle. I'm much like bookgoddess... I live for feeling stress and couldn't picture having such a relaxed life style and not being constantly busy.

I'm like that too! Everything is a lot more enjoyable when you have been working beforehand. I could sit and read in this chair I like in this room I like in my house every night. Yet it won't be fun. If my back is tired, my mind feels drenched, and I'm generally just beat out and tired, sitting down and reading a book feels really good. Playing a video games, which are usually boring after 20 minutes, feels so relaxing. After all the work, I'd describe myself as feeling high. Just so beat out that I don't care. I may not have much time after all the work, but it is quality time. Far better than having 4 hours to do whatever I want.

I notice I laugh a lot more (and about nothing) and am really laid back. Its a great feeling, I'm just out of it. All with the satisfaction of a hard days work.

I'm thinking a medical career can provide me with that lifestyle I want.

 

[ylrebmik]

I'm like that too! Everything is a lot more enjoyable when you have been working beforehand. I could sit and read in this chair I like in this room I like in my house every night. Yet it won't be fun. If my back is tired, my mind feels drenched, and I'm generally just beat out and tired, sitting down and reading a book feels really good. Playing a video games, which are usually boring after 20 minutes, feels so relaxing. After all the work, I'd describe myself as feeling high. Just so beat out that I don't care. I may not have much time after all the work, but it is quality time. Far better than having 4 hours to do whatever I want.

I notice I laugh a lot more (and about nothing) and am really laid back. Its a great feeling, I'm just out of it. All with the satisfaction of a hard days work.

I'm thinking a medical career can provide me with that lifestyle I want.

haha yeah. I think it's somewhat a bad quality for me though. I have the next hour hours to get homework done before I go to wrok... but I won't get any done. I work reallly well under pressure so I'll finish everything really late tonight... but it will still be quality so I guess it doesn't matter. I hate just sitting around and having nothing to do. (Except today when I have an exception of being extrememly ill and weak after going to bed after at 5 a.m. after coming home from my homecoming last night) It sounds crazy but I LOVE waking up and realizing that I have a million things to do... having to run around all day getting everything done, coming home being beat and having homework and chores, and then being tired and having to down some food before work. haha.

 

[Algophiliac]

I'm pretty torn that way too, OP. However, with me it's a little different. Writing is a source of fun, it's a hobby I really really enjoy and probably wouldn't be able to live without--come on, it's ridiculously therapeutic! So is reading. So is philosophy and trying to figure out what the hell is going on in that tiny, hormonal little brain.

But...one of the reasons I'm dying to go into medicine is to make a difference. You'll have time to write, if you make the time. I certainly intend to. But do you really want to turn writing into a stressful job?

And you'll get people telling you you're not good enough left and right. Consider that part of the challenge. They can only influence you as far as you let them.

I certainly hope things won't change after college. I'm young...and I like it. The worst that can happen is a solid dose of realism. But then, I was always the kid stuck in a museum staring at Dali.

 

[Bacchus]

OP I can echo your sentiments. My academics have always been what they are, and I haven't really had change in that regard. However, getting to the University I am at now was a very emotional road. My parents were ecstatic that I wanted to go to college (I will be the first graduate in the family), but they weren't happy with my undergrad choice in the beginning. I "made the mistake" of going to an open house at a school that they fell in love with. Its in rural PA and mimics our home area nicely. I originally went to the open house because they had a major I wanted. I then visited my current University and I fell in love with it. When I was accepted to both I had an easy decision to make. However, my parents made it infitessimally hard. Despite them not funding my education, they threatened not to cosign any loans I need which has come to the tune of several 10's of thousands of dollars. I eventually had a very long and heartfelt discussion with them and persuaded them to let me go where I am now. Its really tough when you have authority figures (parents) or other close friends having conflicting views from your own. However, in the end it usually works out and I'm sure it will for you. Don't give up your passion for writing. Lemoncurry gives some great advice above. Remember, we all have faced hurdles getting to where we are.

 

[ghast]

that feels like my story too dude. i guess im pretty much like a literature/language person. i practically suck at sciences and anything thats lying out of the arts border. still i have the passion for medicine which i doubt many people can really comprehend even if i achieve in putting them in words, especially my family. and hell yeah, i'm like a joke if i ever mnetion the desire to take on the medical student journey. discouraged, but just hang on. everything's bound to tide over, its only the outcome that u want. what you want in life, u do know it in yr guts, u just need confirmation and reassurance. take some time off alone and it might do the trick.

 

[ylrebmik]

that feels like my story too dude. i guess im pretty much like a literature/language person. i practically suck at sciences and anything thats lying out of the arts border. still i have the passion for medicine which i doubt many people can really comprehend even if i achieve in putting them in words, especially my family. and hell yeah, i'm like a joke if i ever mnetion the desire to take on the medical student journey. discouraged, but just hang on. everything's bound to tide over, its only the outcome that u want. what you want in life, u do know it in yr guts, u just need confirmation and reassurance. take some time off alone and it might do the trick.

haha I WISH I could take time to myself. I don't even have enough energy to stay awake in class or get my homework done at home. I thought it might be sleep... no because I've been making myself get 7 hours just to make sure. I'm eating fine. I'm trying to stay active. I just have no energy. If I can't even handle it in h.s., I sure as hell can't get it right in college / vet. I just don't know why I'm so drained all the time and I feel like I'm going crazy. And then I feel crazier by thinking I'm going crazy and then ugh. it's frustrating. I have energy now to do my homework... but I have to leave for school in 10 minutes. I need like anti-sleeping pills. haha.

 

[pressmom]

First of all, let me say I HATE it when colleges want you to declare a major when you get accepted or when you apply. I know it's possible to change when you get there, but it's really hard to plan your life out without getting there and feeling the ground out.

Anyway, English is great, and we could certainly use more people in our profession with excellent writing skills, but as I was saying in another thread, being good at writing in high school is very different than being good at writing in college (unless you go to a top tier high school). So if you get there and don't do well on your first paper or two, don't be surprised and don't get discouraged. I was surprised, and it took me awhile to get my feet under me and really learn to write at a college level.

What I would recommend, however, is getting involved in your college newspaper. If it's a good paper, you'll get a lot of mentoring and an opportunity to write some really interesting stuff. I learned way more about writing well from the paper than I did from some of my professors' comments. I started out writing in the local bureau, interviewing mayoral candidates and state-level politicians, and ended up running the arts and entertainment magazine. A lot of my friends from there went on to writing careers (magazines like Newsweek, New Republic, Esquire, GQ, Congressional Quarterly, People, Sports Illustrated, etc) and their lives are anything but boring. Should you choose to write professionally, there are many options and some are slow-moving and more self-motivated (writing novels like one of my friends) or fast-paced (like journalism).

Anyway, the standard advice applies. Keep your options open. Take a major you love, and if your mind changes, it does. Mine changed from writing/politics to vet med. I didn't even decide I wanted to be a vet until I was 24. The more you feel locked in to a certain future, the less you consider other really cool options. I'm glad your mind is open, and don't ever forget to have fun!

 

[ylrebmik]

First of all, let me say I HATE it when colleges want you to declare a major when you get accepted or when you apply. I know it's possible to change when you get there, but it's really hard to plan your life out without getting there and feeling the ground out.

Anyway, English is great, and we could certainly use more people in our profession with excellent writing skills, but as I was saying in another thread, being good at writing in high school is very different than being good at writing in college (unless you go to a top tier high school). So if you get there and don't do well on your first paper or two, don't be surprised and don't get discouraged. I was surprised, and it took me awhile to get my feet under me and really learn to write at a college level.

What I would recommend, however, is getting involved in your college newspaper. If it's a good paper, you'll get a lot of mentoring and an opportunity to write some really interesting stuff. I learned way more about writing well from the paper than I did from some of my professors' comments. I started out writing in the local bureau, interviewing mayoral candidates and state-level politicians, and ended up running the arts and entertainment magazine. A lot of my friends from there went on to writing careers (magazines like Newsweek, New Republic, Esquire, GQ, Congressional Quarterly, People, Sports Illustrated, etc) and their lives are anything but boring. Should you choose to write professionally, there are many options and some are slow-moving and more self-motivated (writing novels like one of my friends) or fast-paced (like journalism).

Anyway, the standard advice applies. Keep your options open. Take a major you love, and if your mind changes, it does. Mine changed from writing/politics to vet med. I didn't even decide I wanted to be a vet until I was 24. The more you feel locked in to a certain future, the less you consider other really cool options. I'm glad your mind is open, and don't ever forget to have fun!

Thanks so much! I've flipped flopped in my mind all my majors I could have and flip flopped between careers as options. I want to be a vet... but things change in college so thats why I'm keeping everything open. But the college that I'm thinking about going to the most doesn't have a ton of majors and my major will either be English or Biology. It will most likely be the same at the other schools but they have more options.

Does anyone have Interdisiplinary / Disiplinary Majors? One of my schools go off this and if I major in a disiplinary major, I need to have an Interdisiplinary minor. I'm sort of bummed because both of the majors I'm interested in are disiplinary and if I go for one, I was going to do the other as a minor... but does anyone have anything like this?