I’m not saying that you don’t have people skills. I’m saying that if you have a job that requires lots of interactions with other people, this will be draining for you, and you won’t be as successful because you are working against your nature.
I have an acquaintance who is an introvert and a CEO of a large international company. She has to interact with lots of people on a daily basis. She trained herself very purposefully over a number of years to do this, because she wanted to have a career in business. It wasn’t easy but she’s happy now. This might not be for everyone though. I think you have to figure out first what you want to do and this has to be more specific than just “great career with lots of responsibility”. Business, politics, science? I also know a few very smart people who were very good in several different areas but never figured out what exactly they want to dedicate their life to and so had very unsatisfying careers. You need a clear goal and nobody else can figure it out for you.
@yucca10 Well I’m majoring in Physics and minoring in Political Science. Astronomy and space have always been my passions, along with government and world events. So I’ve been trying to find a way to go into both of those fields, which people seem to give me a weird look about because they don’t understand why I want to do that.
I’ve had people imply I should either just pick Physics or Political Science. And I almost did go ahead and major in political science, but I determined I didn’t enjoy it enough and my interest in it comes and goes. I love science, I love learning about it and space and planets and galaxies and the universe.
And I think science policy is really important, and in a time where we have people running the world who either don’t believe in or understand science, I feel it’s a perfect time for me to go into these fields.
I just get scared because I know science/engineering is such a difficult thing, and I read things all the time that companies like SpaceX only hire people from Ivy League schools. (but Elon Musk himself has contracted this report by saying that he doesn’t care if people even have a college degree…he looks for more than that…he looks for true passion, dedication, hard work, and responsibility.)
And as I’ve explained, since I’m an introvert, I don’t have a record of being the president or leader of groups or projects like many students do. I like to take on responsibility quietly. I like to do the work without getting too much attention.
But now that I’ll soon be entering the real word, I know that I need to get attention from employers. So that’s what I’m trying to figure out how to do. It seems that a lot of times when applying to things, students who have been clear leaders, or who are able to put formal leadership positions on their resumes have a better chance to get hired for things. In comparison, I kind of look like a bum. But I promise I’m not. I truly do care about things…and work hard…I just do it very low-key, quietly. ,
I’ve been looking into government agencies that work with science like the NGA, NSA, CIA, etc. and of course NASA. So that’s kind of what I’ll keep in mind for now…
In terms of specific goals, I do have some:
In my lifetime, I think we should:
-Build a base and community on the moon to be used for further space research and activity
-Land humans on Mars and begin building a colony there
-Move fully to renewable energy and stop burning toxic fossil fuels that hurt our environment
-Make much needed improvements/reforms in our political system and government
So notice these goals aren’t about me at all; they’re about the world at large. And sometimes they just seem so far away from my reach, but I guess everyone who changed the world felt that a little when they were young. They had to keep working every day towards their goals, and eventually they got there.
There are many scientists who switched to administrative careers in science policy and management. But you need to start with a PhD. Graduate school is a very different experience, so your goals may shift.
Alright, firstly, you contradict yourself a lot. You say you are an introvert and are only looking for help making it to the top, but then you mitigate any sort of negative impression/consequences of being an introvert by saying you have decent people skills and are quite friendly. Im not saying these are mutually exclusive, but it does come off that you are not happy with your position and are trying to find any way to justify it/complain that you are not a mover and shaker. And in all honesty, you should have thought of this before going to Penn State. If you wanted to be a mover and shaker, you should have realized that only the top schools are trusted for that and worked harder. But thats in the past, what you can do now is get into a Ivy grad school (as if your grad location is better no one really cares about undergrad) and pick a position where you can network, as unfortunately your Penn State degree is not going to be enough for Space X or any top firms.
Oh, that is so not true. But it does matter what you do when you get into the workforce. You have to be hard working, a quick study, easy to get along with, and willing to take on challenges. I do agree that some of your science goals are going to be a lot more achievable with some kind of graduate degree.
How weird that there are Penn State alumni working for SpaceX right now. Someone should tell them their degree isn’t good enough.
http://news.psu.edu/story/452529/2017/02/23/ems-alum-working-spacex-says-travel-mars-within-reach
http://news.psu.edu/story/465911/2017/05/01/student-success/ist-senior-first-generation-afghan-immigrant-lands
http://news.psu.edu/story/438189/2016/11/18/academics/breaking-gender-barriers-rockets
None of those endeavors are things that can be accomplished by a single person. The thing to keep in mind is that even introverts have to learn to work with people. If that’s not your forté, fine. But you’ll have to develop those skills if you want to be able to operationalize your big ideas. I get that socializing is not something that’s high on your list of priorities. If you trully want to do “extraordinary” things that will lift your life out of the “normal”, you have to learn how to harness all the resources that will be needed. And, for big ideas, that means leading and inspiring other people. We all have our challenges, things don’t come naturally. Learning how to read people, getting them on your side and excited about working with (or for) you, and communicating your POV in a way that inspires action is key. While a “life of the mind” is an admirable (and comfy) goal, your impact will be greater if you can translate that into directed action and thinking that goes far beyond your own head.
innovators are not blinded by the poplularity of a handful of colleges or focused on getting an entry-level job at a prestigious firm. Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates…none of them followed the “career path” that I’m sure their moms had in mind for them when they went off to college. But, at the same time, neither did they let their less-than-perfect people skills define them. Instead, they thought out of the box, surrrounded themselves with othes who had the strengths they lacked, followed their own paths, and made history. They didn’t do it alone, though.
Thanks guys for sharing facts. I know Penn State isn’t Harvard or MIT, but it’s one of the most recognized schools in the world and has a great science and research program. I can’t imagine someone would reject me because I “went to Penn State” as if it’s a lousy school or something.
Also, I don’t think I contradict myself…you just have to understand what I’m saying. I AM an introvert because I prefer to and voluntarily spend most of my time alone. But I also do have good people and social skills (like I said, it wasn’t always like that though…I had to really work hard on it and improve my self-confidence). Like you said, they aren’t mutually exclusive. They are both true. And I’m sure that I’m as big of an introvert right NOW than I’ll ever be, because I assume in the future I will only build more connections and networks naturally.
Honestly, I talk way too much about this kind of stuff, and I don’t even know why I made this post. Once in a while I just feel like I’m losing pace with what I envision I should be doing, and I get scared that I will fail in the world. So I seek out answers that I think will make me immune to failure.
Truth is, I should just stop and get to work and stay focused.
I appreciate all the people who comment and help me, though. It really does mean a lot to know there are people out there who want to help, who care, and who can improve your confidence. So thank you for that!!
As far as graduate school goes; I would absolutely go if it was the right thing to do (and is necessary for my career). AND as long as it’s paid for. Because I have absolutely zero money for that…I come from a low-middle class family and am a first-gen college student. I worked for the past 4 years at a local business and I use that money mainly to pay for living expenses and my apartment rent. My college tuition is all loans…and I’ll have to pay that all back over the next 20-30 years.
@EllieMom Thanks for your input. And yes, I know of course that those are huge tasks that aren’t accomplished by one person alone; they’re accomplished by many working together.
I’m confident my people skills will be good as I get older. I didn’t mean to imply that I just absolutely hate people and don’t want to ever socialize with anyone. I just meant that I dislike the way most people (especially) my age act and how they live their lives. Because trust me, it seems like most of them drink all the time, party, make dumb decisions (including wasting money on things that hurt them), and waste time just “going out” instead of doing things that could actually make themselves and the world better.
Numerous times, I’ve met people who I liked on the surface, but then when I saw the way they lived their lives on the daily, I knew I couldn’t ever be that close with them because the way they live their lives and the way I live mine don’t match.
I just haven’t found many of “my people” yet. But I will…
@MrElculver2424 I feel like I should respond to some of the things people are referring to in my post.
- I would reject you if I had an applicant with a better name school with the same gpa. Even if they had worse, I would still pick them over you (within reason). Maybe its cause I grew up in the Bay Area where my dad has been replaced by recent Stanford grads despite having 20 more years of experience several times, and so I am biased toward a degree being the best measure of intelligence/potential, but thats just me.
- @bodangles sure there are some who do well and get well-off positions, but are they really movers and shakers? Just cause you are an executive for facebook for example does not mean you have any more real power. Sure you affect facebook, but really on the CEO and board can effect the brand in any way, as well as the CFO and other execs that could harpoon the product, but they'll be fired swiftly before any damage can occur. The point is that while you can argue there are a few from Penn State, its no where near the level of Ivy Leagues in terms of recruitment and actual position. So stop citing a few examples to prove the whole point wrong.
- @intparent Sure, thats fine, but you have to admit that in the most prominent areas of the country this is very true. Look at the silicone valley Forbes recruitment list. Sure you have Penn State at 25 and even ASU at 10, but those numbers are from a wide variety of positions and so low-level work goes to them and the top schools get the prominent positions. So while you are correct it matters what you do with your degree, in many of the prominent areas of the world where you go matters a lot to even get a door to open
- @MrElculver2424 unfortunately you wont get paid to go to grad school. That just doesn't happen anymore in a serious way. All major top 25 companies have abandoned that practice, and if they have not they doc your pay to pay for it. So you have to save to go to grad school, which in your situation will be difficult, near impossible. Sorry, but welcome to the real world which sucks.
- "Once in a while I just feel like I'm losing pace with what I envision I should be doing, and I get scared that I will fail in the world." You wont fail, you just wont be a mover and shaker like you wanted. I dont care if I get banned for this, but in all honesty you just seem like the #IHateMyGeneration college kid who deserves to be on r/Iamverysmart because they think they can dream prominence into existence and feel like the only explanation for them not being rich already is society and not them. Sorry dude, you are not special, none of us are, so kill your ludicrous dream of being a god in society as you dont have enough connections as you were not born rich and never will with a Penn State degree.
Also, trigger warning for anyone who can’t handle an anti-PC roast of this dude.
I think I’m a good person just looking for some direction.
It’s people like @ANormalSeniorGuy who should inspire people to work even harder towards their dreams and ignore all the people who told them “you can’t do this.” There’s a difference between being honest and presenting truth and just telling people they suck and they’re worth nothing and will never make it.
We all know how difficult accomplishing huge things like this is, and yeah, most people don’t get to that level, and that’s fine. But there are some who do because they never stop working towards what they know they’re capable of.
Also notice @ANormalSeniorGuy totally contradicts himself. He claims I’m an “#IHateMyGeneration” kid who thinks societal conditions prevent me from succeeding, but then says I can never be a mover or a shaker because I wasn’t born rich and went to Penn State.
Which is it? LOL
Holy crap, he doubled down.
Run along, kid. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
He’s probably one of those people that is either jealous of or doesn’t understand logic and intellect, so he resorts to unloading on people who do. Probably calls people snowflakes, too.
It’s alright; no hurt here. He’s just sharing what he thinks. Thanks for the comments everyone…gotta study for finals now.
You can get paid to go to grad school if you get a PhD. In fact, no one should enroll in a PhD program unless they have funding.
Join bodangles’ book club, as well as film club (there’s even a film class - take it). Stick with it for a semester at least.
Appky to join the Peace Corps after grqduation It’s very selective so start looking into it now - but if you have science skills and language skills you’ll be useful, serve, and fulfill a lot of what you mentioned in your opening post.
(Also, for two years, you won’t worry about loans).
If in engineering, join the course where engineering students work together to help a project in a developing country.
@bodangles may know about it.
Time to watch the video, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
What is your skill set? Sounds like you should go into VC or investment area.