I plan to put this behind a cut as soon as I can figure out how to make one with the online updater

[siwangmu]

Alright. This entry is important. I guess I have to hope that it'll be important because in writing it I will somehow find a clear answer to my question, though, because my usual "can I just get other people to tell me what they think?" approach probably isn't the best one for momentous life decisions. On the other hand, what could be better

Comments

[mouse870]

Personally I find relief in the idea that the decision I make for my career doesn't have to be permanent. it takes a whole load of stress off. Do I really like the paleontology? Yeah I do. I dunno if it will be my focus forever though: I could use it to jump into climatology, or isotope geochemistry, or other fields. Even completely unrelated fields, because people these days do more career switching than ever before. Adam's father is an immunologist, and once received a resume from a woman who had gotten her PhD in Botany. A bit of a career change!

So yeah, your interests seem a bit diverse. But I think you should go for something you are into right now, and have a long held interest in. Could your most passionate interests change? Sure. Then, you look at where you are, decide if you want to keep your course and have the other interest as a hobby, or if career change (or 'focus change') would suit you better.

It can be much easier to make these decisions if you know you are not locked in. And knowing this keeps you from regretting it later :)

[siwangmu]

You make a very good point, and thank you, by the way, for commenting. Part of the problem is that while I'm pretty sure I can switch to Sociology or Physics when I'm 45, it would be a damned sight harder to decide to go to Broadway then, and it's probably already too late for Hollywood. Also there's that whole "if I was going to discover anything in physics, legend says I would do it before I turned 30" thing, but that train has probably sailed.