What would you have chosen as a different path for your life?

[PrettyBoy]

No, I wouldn't change a thing. I've been wanting to design cars since I was knee high to a duck. I'm now living my dream, though I'm not done pursuing other things. I've been drawing cars since I was 12, but have been into cars since I was 2 (according to my parents). When I was a kid, I used to play with my little hot wheels cars so much that it put holes in the knees of my pajamas. I'm also interested in pursuing a masters in sculpting or pottery, and eventually I would like to get an MBA too. I love art and it has nothing to do with money, it's all about what I love and what I'm passionate about. We only live once, so I'm taking advantage of my God given talent. I also remember all through highschool, I wanted to have a car company to bare my name like Enzo Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini, Ettore Bugatti, Henry Ford, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the Maserati brothers, Alejandro De Tomaso, etc. Now, I realize that's a little too much, but it's still in the back of my mind. Who knows? Maybe.

Here's where I went to school after I graduated with my undergrad degree.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zQDmz2SII

And what I do to put food on the table.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg7LEQfwrCY

ETA: I never had a plan B, but I wouldn't mind test driving Ferraris for a living.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU-EPRHuwg4

[epchick]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I could have just told you to google it, but I love chatting about it so..

So "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was wrong? lol. Is there really a world in the center aside from the extremely hot solid rock? lol

I actually think that sounds really interesting! Planets/space/etc all that interests me soo much, but i'm not a fan of a lot of the science i'd need to know beforehand (physics especially lol)


ETA:

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

If it makes you feel any better, I have a Summa Cum Laude BA in IR and also a Masters in IR, plus three foreign languages. I live in DC. And I STILL am not in that field! It is ROUGH out here.

I know that being in a job that I don't like "destroys my psyche", and I am always looking for something else. But I guess a paycheck is what keeps me here. I just put a smile on my face and deal with it, waiting until I get home to enjoy my time there.

lol, ok that makes me feel a little better. I REEEEALLY enjoy learning languages, and I wish i had realized that sooner. My alma mater had several language classes but nothing major. You could only really have good languaged classes for Spanish and French (i'm bilingual already in Spanish and French is just boring to me lol). If i had found my love for languages earlier maybe I could have found a university that actually had good language classes.

Originally Posted by CougarGrad

I re-read more carefully and just saw this. Don't be discouraged... I have a BA in Russian Studies and I'm starting my grad studies in Criminology this fall. You just may be able to make it work!

Really? Awesome!! What school are you going to for Criminology? I soo need to look into that! The only school I was told (by my advisor) that had that for grad school was Michigan State but you had to have your degree in Chem.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by epchick

So "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was wrong? lol. Is there really a world in the center aside from the extremely hot solid rock? lol

I actually think that sounds really interesting! Planets/space/etc all that interests me soo much, but i'm not a fan of a lot of the science i'd need to know beforehand (physics especially lol)

lol
omg, I love that movie.

Really? I didn't know you had an interest in astronomy. If you want to do it as a hobby you don't need to know any physics at all. It's just fun looking at the stars and planets and reading about them so you know what you're looking at. I guess for me, I just like knowing or having an idea of how things work and why things are the way they are, that's why I get into the physical science part of it, plus I love physics, and astronomy. I hated it in highschool and undergrad because it was boring what we were doing. I hope it remains an interest of yours, even if you don't like physics. To be quite honest with you, I think you'd be good at it if you give it a try.

[CougarGrad]

Originally Posted by epchick

Really? Awesome!! What school are you going to for Criminology? I soo need to look into that! The only school I was told (by my advisor) that had that for grad school was Michigan State but you had to have your degree in Chem.

Check your pee-emms!

[CougarGrad]

I'm also happy where I'm at now, but every once in a while I do wonder how my life would've been different if I'd gotten accepted at the one school I applied to that I didn't get into.

I majored in international studies relating to one particular country, and practically speaking, it would've helped if I'd studied abroad there after graduation instead of staying here and working to save for my wedding. I'd speak the language much better than I do (I'm so pathetic now), and maybe I'd even have gotten a job in the field.

[LucyKKG]

I wish I had at least applied to more schools. I only applied to TWO colleges! There are a lot of reasons I didn't like my school but I know I wouldn't have had the same Greek experience elsewhere.

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by LucyKKG

I know I wouldn't have had the same Greek experience elsewhere.

I feel the same way about that issue - if I decided to go to a SUNY school I would have never been Greek. Its...different up there.

On a whole, there are definitely a few things I would have changed academically within my institution (major, etc) but I would still want to attend this university. Even with a few changes I think I still would have ended up where I am right now (or rather, where I'm planning to be in the near future/after graduation). But I think its still a little bit early for me to assess.

[LaneSig]

As much as I enjoy teaching, I would have liked to have majored in English and then a master's in journalism. I would have loved to work for a magazine. But, the way the internet is effecting magazines now, things probably worked out for the best.

The other choice: I actually had a very good singing voice. I won a couple of awards in high school for singing. My freshmen year of college, I joined a campus vocal group. The professor who directed us told me that I should study voice. She said that I had the chance to have a career as a back-up singer/commercial vocalist. The sad thing was that I was very shy in high school and the beginning of college. I didn't take what the teachers said seriously because I thought they were just being nice.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

I feel the same way about that issue - if I decided to go to a SUNY school I would have never been Greek. Its...different up there.

On a whole, there are definitely a few things I would have changed academically within my institution (major, etc) but I would still want to attend this university. Even with a few changes I think I still would have ended up where I am right now (or rather, where I'm planning to be in the near future/after graduation). But I think its still a little bit early for me to assess.

Sorry for the double post - I had a full ride to SUNY Albany coming out of high school but chose my undergrad because I liked the feeling I got when I went there. Also, at Albany I would have had to double major. I never would have gone greek at SUNY Albany.

Ah - the days where I thought I had money and could just choose to go to a small private school instead of going to a big state school for free.

I wouldn't change it though, now, even though my student loan debt is astronomical, because had I not gone to my undergrad, I wouldn't have gone to my grad school, wouldn't have made the friends I have now who come out to Chicago to visit me, and wouldn't have met live-in. Actually - I wouldn't even be in Chicago. Weird.

So I guess, like I said before, educationally I wouldn't change a thing.

I also wouldn't change not moving to DC. I'm not moving there unless I have a job there, tyvm, and I'm always sure to mark "will travel" on any job applications. This past two years were much more fun in Chicago than they would have been in DC.

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by agzg

Sorry for the double post - I had a full ride to SUNY Albany coming out of high school but chose my undergrad because I liked the feeling I got when I went there. Also, at Albany I would have had to double major. I never would have gone greek at SUNY Albany.

My visit to Albany was the last straw, you couldn't get me out of that state fast enough!

Originally Posted by CougarGrad

I re-read more carefully and just saw this. Don't be discouraged... I have a BA in Russian Studies and I'm starting my grad studies in Criminology this fall. You just may be able to make it work!

I'm majoring in Russian Studies! I don't really want to work in the field anymore, but it's good to know there's life after Russian that doesn't involve a cardboard box!

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

My visit to Albany was the last straw, you couldn't get me out of that state fast enough!

Well, I was trying to be nice about it.

[DiamondAthena]

I think it's soo funny that I always wonder what if I'd have gone right to grad school instead of getting married in my Sr.yr and having a baby 2 yrs later. But then I have friends who did go straight for the masters and post grad degrees that are looking for mates and wishing they had what I have... Grass always seems to be greener so I try to stop those what if thoughts in their tracks.... But still, it's natural to wonder.... What if I'd become a forensic psychologist?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Not to mention the people who were able to become forensic psychologists and get married and have children (not necessarily in that order). It was never either/or for many people.

I think it's interesting how we rationalize the decisions that we made and go the next step of juxtapositioning ourselves against others. Totally unnecessary.

So true. It doesn't have to be advanced degree OR a family.

If I'm wrong and it does, then I'd better prep for life as a cat lady lol.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

And women are more likely to be socialized that it is/feel that it is than men.

ETA: LOL @ your edit. Men are told to beware of the women who don't "need" a man and can sustain themselves on cat food and milk. LOL.

HA. It's true. Yes, I would like a family. But I don't know if I could choose between becoming Dr. Violet and having one. Someone I am serious about would have to understand how important that goal is for me (I think the current Mr. does, as he has similar goals for himself). But that's another thread and I'm off topic.

[Little32]

Lately, I have been thinking that it would have been wonderful to have taken a year or two off before or after undergrad and just traveled. You know, get a work visa, travel around, live in hostels, that sort of thing. I think that I got a little too rigidly locked into a certain progression for my life. I mean, I probably would still be where I am today, but I would have had some more amazing experiences.

Also, I have been having all of these great and random conversations--on planes and stuff--with folks who are 50+ that are starting new lives, new careers. Those conversations have been great for developing a different perspective. To know that I have plenty of time to explore a lot of different paths. I don't have to maintain some sort of unswerving course towards a predetermined goal. It's a nice place to be.