My girl friend from junior high, who is still my friend, called last week end. Her daughter finished college at Santa Clara University last year. she had a double major in biology and french (I think). She spent last year working at some top cancer research place in Seattle. She discovered that she doesn't like research.
She's 21, has a college degree, is smart, needs to work for a living. She has some artistic talent.
Any suggestions for her in finding her direction in life, making a buck, etc?
Having raised a few kids and paid for their college, here’s my 2 cents.
Sometimes a big panic sets in after graduation. Sometimes there is a sudden realization that what they Majored in actually is not what they really are interested in. Sometimes the Major (such as Biology) was done with a plan that they were going to be a teacher and now that the kid is older, they realize they actually don’t want to be a teacher. I’ve seen a lot of “growing up” happen in the last 18 months of college.
Skills and attribute assessment is very important. What do I actually know how to do? What do I like doing? What am I good at? What do others think I’m good at?
I’ve had one kid graduate and not be certain if they wanted to go for a Masters, which would be very important for future job prospects in subject they majored in. The “assessment” was to go to work for a few years to earn some dough at a food server job, which led to an office job, to live while they decided whether or not to go to grad school. This one had time (4 years) to "mature" artistically and refine their portfolio, then went back to school and got a Masters in their undergraduate Major (Fine Arts-Painting and Sculpture) at a top school and they’ve got a good career going because they not only have a Masters but they had the time to figure out what they really wanted and then sacrifice and go for it without second guessing themselves.
I’ve had another that wanted to be a teacher, graduate with a double Major in English and History and then decide they don’t want to teach and go into a real panic. They spoke French, liked to travel and liked being with people so the “assessment” was to get a job as a Flight Attendant and get some “Living as an Adult in the World” under their belt. They were on flights in and out of DC and NYC and got to be friends with a number of big time journalists. It took nearly 6 years for the “process” to come to fruition but this one is now in one of the top MA-Journalism Schools in the US and is really doing well and is thrilled with their life and has a job waiting upon Graduation.
Another one wanted to be a Theater Arts teacher up until their Senior year, then decided they didn’t want to teach and Graduated with a degree they didn’t know what to do with. The “assessment” was to use the communication skills from Theater Arts and get a job in merchandising. That led to several years of frustration, but experience that was ‘real World”. The company was sold, the job went away and a year of “Temp Agency” ensued. On day there was a temp assignment as a teacher’s aide at a school for the deaf and blind. 3 months later they were “hooked”, offered a permanent teachers aide position and was told that they were “a natural”. The education in Communications and Theater became a plus. 6 months later they were asked to apply for a Masters Certificate Fast Track program and were one of 2 selected out of 300 statewide applicants. Now, a few years later this one is now a Certified Specialist in Special Education for Deaf and Blind, teaches her students by signing into their hands, has been promoted to a Department Head and LOVES what they do.
Kid number 4 was a double Major, with one of them a foreign language and culture, thought they wanted to teach, didn’t like it, spent several years in the “assessment” process, and is now in Grad School towards the end result of getting in the Foreign Service.
My advice is:
Don’t Panic! Do an “assessment” and proceed. Do something…whether it’s temp work, food service, office clerical, substitute teaching, whatever. Get out there, be willing to work and take pride in what you do whatever it is. Most College Grads have a lot of education and very little “Real World” or “Living as an Adult” experience. Your time is not “wasted” be doing any job; your time is wasted by “waiting”. You’re too young to squander these wonderful years of youth by running around in a panic or immobilized by being “above” earning an honest wage for an honest days work.
The College Graduate has proven that they can work to learn and well know how to learn; the "Market Place" now wants to know if you know how to work and can learn to do the job well.
Hope this Helps.
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