How many of y'all are doing what you went to school for?

[NinjaPoodle]

I started out as a Physical Education major. I came out of high school as a competing athlete and wanted to go in the direction of teaching and coaching. I did 2.5 years of community college then transferred to Grambling St. U for one academic year and HATED their program but love campus life. The following school year, I transferred back to my c.c. and was there for 2 semesters then transferred to San Francisco State as a Kinesiology major (fancy phys. ed ) but after 2 years, it wasn't the direction I wanted to go. SFSU offers a coaching certificate program but I didn't want that because at the time, a friend I had coached gymnastics under, offered me a position at the gym club she was working. By then I didn't want to do that anymore.

During that last semester (spring) a friend had commented on a photo I'd taken and how much he liked it and would pay for it. I punched him in the arm because I thought he was joking. After he rubbed his arm ( I hit him kinda hard, oops) and told me he was serious, it occurred to me I really needed to change my major to photography given my history with it. (long story)

So, the following fall semester, I tried to add my 1st core class and wasn't able to due to the CSU system pink slipping teachers, not enough sections, and teachers playing favorites when adding students. UGH!

I transferred back to community college, accumulated all of my units towards graduation, got my A.A. in general ed with an emphasis in photography. Then transferred to Academy of Art and have been stuck there ever since. Now, I'm a documentary photojournalism major, bfa candidate with 24 units left in the program.

Am I working in the field? Yes, I freelance for a local newspaper. I also just shoot on my own. I need money to live on, so I also work for 5 temp agencies and a seasonal outdoor ice rink. I'm also looking into doing another paid internship but with a wire service or better yet, become a stringer. I'm also pinning on doing some war/conflict shooting and some humanitarian shooting.

You know, if there was a shorter way for me to explain my life, I would but not today