lots of thinking
It all began as a conversation with my dad (a rare occurance in of itself, mind you).
This will be a slightly, only slightly, more organized stream-of-consciousness, so be forewarned.
( prepare thyself )
This will be a slightly, only slightly, more organized stream-of-consciousness, so be forewarned.
( prepare thyself )
I love traveling; I haven't done nearly enough of it. I love experiencing things and cultures foreign to me and getting that "woah, I'm alive" feeling from it. I want (most) everything you described. And while that was the driving force for you to go with creative writing, it's part of what motivated me to go with accounting.
It takes money to travel and experience new things constantly. It takes a lot of it just to live comfortably. There's no escaping the fact that that money is behind almost everything that happens, whether we realize it or not. And I think being able to understand it and stay on top of it is really important. Understanding the money helps you understand an awful lot of things in life. Not saying that everyone in the world has to spend their professional lives crunching numbers, because they don't. That's definitely not for everyone. Your job also doesn't have to be your entire life. Sure, it's a huge part of it for a long time, but just because you don't study something professionally doesn't mean you don't appreciate it and want to experience it. Not having the means to do cool stuff is what prevents most people from doing it, in my experience. I don't plan on blowing all my money on Mercedes cars and Gucci pajamas. I'm going into a field that I like (more than the liberal arts fields I sampled, for sure) to do a job that will probably pay pretty well, and I'll be able to afford experiences I wouldn't be able to get otherwise. Just because you don't study something esoteric doesn't mean that your life experiences are doomed to the confines of a cubicle. I know a lot of creative, smart people in practical fields for the same reason, and their field doesn't mean they're a boring person. My dad's an accountant and is one of the most entertaining people I've met. He could have worked in California, Mexico, Germany, or a thousand other places in the US. His accountant friend makes indie films. I'd be lying horribly if I said the business field didn't have more than its fair share of bland, white-collar-for-life people who are just on a mission to get that expensive house and car because it does. All I'm saying is that your job doesn't have to be you, and you don't have to be your job. You just have to be compatible.
That said, please don't take offense to any of it. I totally respect your take on things, and I'd venture to say that most people I know would respect yours over mine. I've just had this argument a thousand times and couldn't resist having it again :p If you're that in love with your studies, rock on. You make the world more interesting for those who lack enough imagination of their own. I think my basic point here is, don't hate too much on practical people. Just because we want financial security and freedom doesn't mean we're oblivious to the things that make the world what it is. You don't necessarily have to pick one over the other. :)
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Plus, I totally remember you. I always had that hesitation in not replying to your journals, too!
And you really touch on the need to be both practical AND fun. I only gave a line or two to that, 'cause it was late and my brain was flippin', but that's the important part. Not getting that you need both is why people fail. If you're too far one way or the other, it's not going to work.
My boyfriend is doing marketing, for christ's sake, I can't really be hatin'. Practicality is important. So is creativity. You always need both.
But damn! Thanks for reading! It's nice to know. Also, it's also nice to know that other disciplines get hated on, too. Kind of a togetherness in people's unwillingness to let you just fuckin' pick something for yourself!
Plus, you're cool, too. I kinda regret only really talking to you at the end of senior year, but I would be game for chatting more this summer and such. Both gamer girls and the like (though, don't have the time for that as much anymore). Anyway, thanks for reading, seriously!
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Anyway, one more thing, a professor of mine (Drew Perry rocks my socks):
"Here's the little problem, though: You should major in what you love. If you love accounting, then please, please major in it. We need dedicated, passionate accountants. What we don't need is listless, sad accountants. Or international businessers. Or writers, for that matter. We need people to major in what they love, in their passions. And we -- we academic professor types -- need to stop insulting our students by saying they should do anything at all other than chase what they love. Education is just that -- education. Education makes you smarter and more thoughtful. It's what sends you by the museum on the way home from your job. Education is not -- not necessarily, anyway -- to get you a job. You'll get you a job. Education is what salves you or makes you uncomfortable -- or both -- when you stand outside at the end of a long day and think -- really think -- about who you are and what it is you think you're doing with yourself. Education, as my friend and colleague Kevin Boyle has said, is for 5 to 9, not for 9 to 5.
Major in accounting. In dance. In tuba, in writing, in ceramics, in philosophy. Take the classes you love. I can think of no good reason to behave in any other way. Here endeth the lesson."
Yea, I think that sounds about right.
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