pokey07

So I've posted recently about being an Economics major going into my senior year. Anyway I'm not going to bore you with that.
I'm having real issues with what direction I want to go in my life. I talked to career services at school, and they really weren't any help. I told them I was second guessing a career in finance, and that I didn't want to work in corporate America and they pretty much told me do it anyway.
Here's some background info on me. Any help would be great.
I'm majoring in Economics. I like Math. I may like Science, not really sure. I like Technology. I'm into bodybuilding, nutrition and the body in general. My dad was a doctor and my mom's a nurse. I don't like the idea of working at a company getting someone else rich. Not even sure I really like Finance, which is what I was planning on doing last year. I read the Wall Street Journal and skim over business and investment stuff, finding it mostly boring, but I do it because I'm told to. And this semester since I've had less responsibility outside of class I've been able to bring my GPA up to a 4.0 so far (didn't think I could, but when I actually put the effort in, apparently I can).
I'm really looking for any advice. Which direction to take, who I should talk to, anything.
Thanks so much.

krazyk

You're thinking too much. I was much like you only a couple years ago. I took a few years off from school because I wasn't sure if finance was for me. I was telling myself, "No way I'm going to be able to work 100-hour weeks in finance. Accounting is too boring. I don't want to be a slave at a corporation." In reality I wanted to go to film school and try to become a director.

Well, growing out of my naivety, I came to the realization that anything you do is going to take a tremendous amount of work. You don't think trying to become the next Steven Spielberg is hard? Or that opening your own business is either? Anything worth doing in life is going to take a tremendous amount of dedication, sometimes to the point where even if it is something you love to do, like bodybuilding/nutrition, you will get sick of at times.

The point of a career is really to sustain yourself. Even people who I know who love finance become frustrated because of the long hours. Be a realist. The money in finance or accounting is solid, and if you have even a decent amount of interest in it, go for it. Graduate, get a job, establish yourself, and if you finally decide after a couple years it's not for you, move onto something else you think you like.

Don't get caught up into "I think I like this, I'm not sure if I like this", especially if you haven't had work experience in the area and don't know what the work is like. My advice is just to do something that is both practical and interesting, and get a job.

timeloso

Have you considered attending a couple classes in subjects that might interest you? You could even take them as a listener.

Some programming classes could even help you for your career in Finance if you later decide that's what you want to do, and also give you some more concrete idea of whether you like that track or not.

pokey07

Thank you so much for the advice. A part of me is definitely worrying about the future and everything, and you're right I should just take it easy and stop second guessing myself. Its just reading the Wall Street Journal and being bored of it, I figured it was a telltale sign of this being wrong for me, lol. Also, internship searching was driving me nuts!

I'm also actually looking into taking a computer science class at night this summer, and I already have a little experience with it so we'll see.

swimcatsmom

Have you considered doing something like the peace corps for a couple of years?

talktobrent

You have to REALLY ask yourself what you want out of life. Honestly, I think it takes some time out of school and some personal life experience to realize that. You have to get away from what parents, friends, etc tell you or expect you to do. You really have to open your mind and explore. I would not listen to what your school or anybody says... Yes, doing anything these days is extremely competitive, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY YOU BETTER SHOW PASSION FOR WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE. Nobody will hire you if you step into an interview and it shows you just chose this career because you have the degree. If you don't want to do what you're doing, you will be miserable for a long time. Relationships, your health, everything could suffer down the road.

I did an internship in Washington DC last fall. I cost me a FORTUNE and I didn't really gain enough experience to justify the debt i accumulated, but what I did realize was that I REALLY DISLIKE WORKING IN A 9-5 OFFICE ENVIRONMENT. Most of our generation is fed this ideal their whole life. I guarantee you there's people out there that will sit behind a desk for $34,000 a year as opposed to a $70,000 blue collar job, solely because there's still that perceived prestige in being a white collar worker. Some people love it, some don't. The reality is even the most humble of us are still lured by status and society's perception of success. Do you really think ALL those law school students these days truly have a passion for justice and our legal system? or do some just want the title and lifestyle?