Thanks everyone for the replies, I'm sorry that I didn't reply earlier! Unfortunately, a part in my monitor burned and I had to replace it. Luckily, my computer is okay. *Warning*: super long post ahead - where I reply to everyone that I didn't post to earlier!
Justamom, thank you for posting
. It is nice to hear from another parent's perspective (just like DeltAlum). I think my parents worry about the same thing - their child's well-being. Yeah, I guess I should think more realistically...I've always imagined my future with a loving husband and two wonderful children...I should take into account the possibility that my future might not always be so rosy and perfect. Things, after all, do happen! Luckily, I do have time to decide what I should do, major-wise!
Valkyrie - hi!! That is so cool that you majored in psych - I didn't know! It's funny, just last night at dinner the 'rents again started on the major discussion.
They were like, "Psychology, eh?" And then they both laughed evilly.
My parents were like, "That's real nice that you like psych. But, what are you gonna do to put food on the table? How're you gonna live off of that? It doesn't matter if you like the major or not, look what happened to Sarah (my parents' friend's daughter), Tim (my cousin), and these other ppl who majored in psychology! Where are they now? Sarah is working in public health now...nothing to do with psychology! What about Tim? Ha! He's working at some internet company. Nobody who majored in psychology ended up in the field! How ridiculous is that? Those who majored in their field will get an edge. How will you get an advantage being a psych major if you end up finding a job in another industry?"
So apparently they don't have faith in their daughter to make it to grad school
. I told them firmly that I am willing, and wanting, actually, to go through those years of schooling to get a Ph.D., but they just roll their eyes. I understand that they are just worried about me, but it's getting really frustrating because they keep on pushing the medical fields to me, along with the accounting/business/foreign policy/computer science stuff. My dad was like, "Doesn't matter that you don't like science or math. Who cares? You're gonna get a great living if you major in those great fields. Those four years of your life majoring in accounting/business/foreign policy/comp sci will be so little compared to how rich you'll be in the end!"
Then I tried to explain my love for psych and how I just cannot succeed in a field which I absolutely hate. Heck, I'm suffering/laboring through my math and science classes right now! And that's high school, for goodness sakes. I told them that I will definitely get horrible grades if I major in something that I despise. They should understand that now, because my lowest grades in all of high school have
always been math and science - the classes that I don't like. They just ignore that completely, and go on and on about how I will be so poor (at least for the first few years after graduation) if I take my own route.
Oh, stats. I have never taken a stats class before. A math teacher that I liked asked me to go to her AP Stats class, but I was like, "no way, no thanks!" Though I did well in her class, I didn't want to be stuck in an AP class where I generally suck in the subject.
As for the jobs that you worked, my parents tell me how difficult my job would be to work with "problem children." I understand that it will be very frustrating and difficult at times, but I am a mentor right now, and at first the children I mentor were very difficult. They basically took "the wrong path" so to speak, greatly involved in their gang and such, and of course all the drugs they took. I am glad that my mentoring helped to "reform" them; they are no longer in a gang, they no longer cut school, they have good grades...the list goes on.
But I do know that a job would be difficult. My AP Psych teacher's first job was working at a center where the children all had mental disorders. He said it was really difficult to work there; he was so tempted to quit his job. But he said it was rewarding in the end!
Oh my gosh, Valkyrie, I'm so sorry I've been going on and on!! I've probably given you a headache! Sorry! And, thanks!
ZTAngel, thanks for your post
. I do intend to major in psychology, and hopefully the thing with my parents will work out in the end! If not, yikes, it'll be a long road ahead...
DeltAlum, wow, your son is SMART. You must be so proud of him! Where is he looking to attend for college? DeltAlum, I just wanted to say that you're being a great dad, and your wife is being a great mom. I'm sure your son is SO grateful that his parents are supporting his decision to major in Musical Theatre and Psych. Yeah, I know so many people have changed majors. I might be one of them; things might change in a few years, but for now I hope I can enter (and stay) a Psych major.
Sorry everyone for how lengthy this post is! I hope I didn't tire your eyes with all this writing! BTW, I have to study really hard until after finals are done, so unfortunately I won't go on GC until after Jan. 15th!