Good at everything useless

College Confidential Community
1

<p>Being asian, it sucks being bad at science and math. I always get either an A- or B+ in the class, and it’s my lowest sat score.</p>

<p>My friends say it’s okay because I’m great with English and the humanities… </p>

<p>How the hell am I supposed to make a living with being good in English?!? Explicate Baudelaire? Reading plays as a waiter at IHOP?</p>

<p>While my asian friends effortlessly breeze through the skills that are actually useful in today’s society, here I am. A master in something pretty much useless in today’s recession.</p>

<p>Like literally, all the industries that provide stable and well paying jobs are in STEM. Even if I went into STEM, I know I will be second-rate compared to people who are naturally skilled at that stuff. </p>

<p>Like seriously, even law has become extremely risky and extremely unstable. Business requires great skill in math. Poly sci jobs are scarce. </p>

<p>All of my “skill” at writing essays and rhetorical analysis’ is pretty much obsolete outside the academic world. Anyone can learn to write an excellent report.</p>

<p>I shudder at all of the incredibly intelligent people I hear of coming from extremely prestigious universities with degrees in the humanities, ending up completely entrapped in debt and in a complete wreck.</p>

<p>I come from a less wealthy family, so I can’t afford to pick a career where all of that college money goes to waste. </p>

<p>I hate how lives are being ruined for making a decision based off of what people are good at and what they love.
I hate this recession. </p>

<p>I hate math and science. I’m going to be major in STEM or economics, not because I want to, but because I have to. Oh, how I wish I could make a living off of what I love. Oh, how I wish liberal arts could provide a solid pathway to a career. I won’t be as mathematically skilled as all the other engineers and Asians, I will always be second rate, I won’t be doing what I love. But nothing, NOTHING is worth being in a financial train wreck. NOTHING is worth that risk.</p>

<p>I wish I was a stereotypical asian.</p>

2

<p>Well that was a rant. What are you looking for here?</p>

3

<p>Fwiw, I graduated with degrees in Arts & Humanities and Anthropology last year. I’m now a Data Manager and an MPH student. All of my friends who graduated with degrees in Arts & Humanities last year and this year are employed and none of them are “financial train wrecks.” </p>

<p>I think you need to slow down and breath. Strong writing skills are critically important in the working world and you’d be amazed at how far some well-written pieces can take you. </p>

<p>Also, from the sounds of it, you’re in high school. There are many, many fields outside of STEM that I’m sure you haven’t explored yet. </p>

4

<p>@sylvan8798‌ </p>

<p>I’m honestly not sure. I was going to write a post reminiscent of the current job market or something and it somehow ended up like this. To be honest, I’m really not THAT frustrated about going into engineering, but I guess a single thought kinda just turned into this mess.</p>

5

<p>What about becoming an attorney? They make a good living. Major in English or Philosophy then go to Law School.</p>

6

<p>Law school grads who make comfortable livings are becoming fewer and farther between. The law field is completely over-saturated. </p>

7

<p>First off, that’s was a pretty thought out rant. I kind of saw my own demons reading it. </p>

<p>I’m curious though. What is your motivation? Follow the stereotype of us asians because it’s expected? Desire for self satisfaction? The fear of becoming a financial failure? I’m not going to push my belief “when there’s a will, there’s a way,” but part of me believes you’re finding scapegoats. </p>

<p>I’m just sharing my two cents /: </p>

8

<p>As a soon-to-be English major, I find this post rather offensive.</p>

<hr>

<h2>Yes, it’s true that an undergrad degree in English doesn’t really prepare you for a specific career. What people don’t realise is that being an English major lays an incredible foundation of critical thinking skills, communication skills, and writing skills, which are useful in any career path and graduate programme. I am SO done with people calling anything that is not science or math “useless.”</h2>

<p>To be honest, in my opinion, spending money on an undergrad and most likely grad programme in something you’re not good at and hate is as much of a waste of money as you seem to think getting a degree in the humanities is.</p>

9

<p>One, be prepared for a master’s program of some type (it’s an option, but not required) to prepare you for a job. In the meantime, you can help yourself become employable in many, many jobs by simply learning 1) how to run office machines and work in an office, 2) how to work in a group of people, 3) how to teach or coach, 4) how to manage, to market, and to create media, 5) how to research and write (write in different formats - grant proposal writing, white paper writing, newswriting, etc.), and 6) how to “win friends and influence people.” :wink: You get all that covered through your HS and college career, and you’ll be fine/figure out how to thrive in something you love. This advice a starting place, to take or leave as you wish. </p>

10

<p>I would consider being a lawyer since doctor is probably out of the question (FYI im Asian too but Im the opposite).</p>