College Majors

[leinton]

So I've noticed that a lot of us are in college right now, and several of us are either just out of college or just about to get into it, so I was thinking we could share our majors and our reasons for picking them.

I'm currently a physical geography major, and am considering double majoring in that and creative writing. I was originally a music education major, but I realized that I have absolutely no desire to practice music ever. So I switched colleges (I didn't like my original college) and decided to try out geology, because I love studying earthquakes and volcanoes. I took physical geography and meteorology along with a geology class my first term there. I hated my geology teacher, but found myself loving learning about the weather and climate. And the teachers were amazing and enthusiastic about their subject. And I realized the geography is a subject about literally everything, from how people interact with each other to how cold fronts work. And creative writing... I realized last summer that I actually really enjoy writing fiction.

So, anyone else? What major are you, were you, or do you plan on being?

[Link Von Kelsier Harvey he/him]

I am in my third year of college, and I have not the slightest idea of what major to pick. I feel like a terrible horrible failure/parasite whenever I think about it. Also, I seem to have no idea how to study, and whereas I used to be a somewhat decent writer, I now have trouble writing one page. I also seem to have no ambitions with which to motivate myself, and have no clue what I'll be doing in two years. I apologize sincerely for turning this cheerful discussion of life goals and the accomplishment thereof into a depression/guilt fest.

[FeatherWriter she/her]

Well, I'm in high school at the moment, but I've thought about a major. Liberal Arts for me definitely, probably with a linguistics emphasis and a minor in creative writing.

[Zas678 he/him]

I'll be entering into college next year as a Junior (I'm graduating with my Associate's), and I'm going into Engineering. I just love being able to look deeply at something, and find a way to fix it, to make it better and more awesome.

[Joe ST he/him]

Just finishing up a Maths and Computing joint degree. Probably gonna fail it but heyho

[Shivertongue he/him]

Graphic design major, which is something to keep me busy while I work on novels and stuff. I'd add something funny here, but it's almost five AM and I'm sleepy.

[Eerongal he/him]

i graduated college almost 6 years ago

[/old]

But i majored in computer sciences (for computer programming). I graduated with honors, and BARELY missed being valedictorian of my class

[Puck he/him]

I double majored in Philosophy and Comparative Literature. I had no idea what I wanted to do/be after college, and I knew that it was important to get a degree, so I simply chose the things that excited me most: logic, words, and languages. It was awesome, and I'm sad that I've been out of it for 3 years. (Maybe that's my draw to 17S - it gives me an excuse to research & write "papers" again.)

Don't let anyone talk you out of the liberal arts if that's what you want. Unless you want to go into a specific field - Engineering, Medical, etc - it will serve you very well. And hey, if not, at least you can mock the rich people in iambic pentameter

[borborygmus]

I graduated with my B.S. four years ago, so I'm another oldie (though not that old). xD But I was a biology major. I honestly didn't care what major I did; I was simply aiming to finish the prerequisites to apply to veterinary school. It fit neatly into the biology curriculum, though I had to take quite a few extra classes (including a full year of biochemistry, sad to say.) I always liked mathematics and physics. Weirdly, I also liked organic chemistry as well (though I hated general chem and biochem). Also, I did a lot of music courses.

Now I'm going to veterinary school. I don't really have a 'major' anymore, but I'm doing small animal track with an emphasis on companion avian and exotic animals. Originally, I was in the zoological track, but it really doesn't fit what I'm trying to do very well, and it seems to me that the zoological track students get a very broad education but rather a shallow one in their assigned curriculum. A lot of people are lured in by zoological because in fourth year it allows an entire 14 weeks of elective clinics, as opposed to the 9 weeks in the small animal track, but the fact of the matter is that those extra 5 weeks are taken out of valuable basics, and a lot of your time is wasted (depending on what your focus is, of course - for someone who really does want to work in a zoo, it's probably a good choice) in unnecessary clinics such as food animal medicine. I'd rather have a solid grounding in small animal medicine and then build on that, putting my 9 weeks of elective into companion avian and exotics, than dabble in this, that, and the other.

Regarding what Puck said - don't discount a liberal arts education even if you do want to go into a specific field such as medicine or veterinary medicine. So long as you complete the prerequisites, you can major in anything you please, and some of my classmates have liberal arts degrees.

Edited April 1, 2011 by borborygmus

[Zayde he/him]

I was originally going to major in music, but then I realized that I enjoy music more as a hobby than as a career. Plus music is an incredibly competitive field and I'd rather have something that would be easier to have a consistent job with. So I decided to go into computer science and focus on video game programming. I love playing video games so I figured it would be cool to make my own, especially since I like coming up with stories, but have problems with actually writing them. And I can always just get a regular computer job if I'm having trouble getting into the video game industry.

[ZeldaDad he/him]

I am currently an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing. I finally chose this after switching from Art then to Communication Disorders and then Psychology. A couple years ago I decided I loved reading so much that I should write so I could read the stories I wanted to hear. If I wrote, I could make a world become anything I wanted it to be. And so I started writing and fell in love. I never took seriously being an author as a career so I didn't pursue any education for it. Somehow though, I thought Art was more likely? I don't know. But anyway, I finally chose to take my chances. I plan to teach and write. Maybe I can live off of my writing, maybe not. Either way, writing makes me happy so I'm going to learn about it.

[Darth Squirrely she/her]

Well, I plan to get my Associate degree in Liberal arts, and then go to a 4-year school and hopefully major in English, leaning toward the Creative Writing thing like Endra.

I did want to major in Psychology for a while, and who knows, maybe that'll end up happening, but I want to learn more about writing, because I enjoy it and I want to know how to do it well. Practicing helps, of course, but a college education will be valuable, I'm sure.

[Firiel she/her]

I was an English major (focused on both literature and creative writing). I loved every second of it... college was the bomb.

[Chachel she/her]

Biology! With an emphasis in ecological systems. Probably.

[KChan she/her]

I have a general Associate's degree and am currently pursuing a Bachelor's in Linguistics, possibly with a minor in Japanese. I absolutely love it, and don't want any other major. Registering for classes is like Christmas for me.

[Zas678 he/him]

I have a general Associates, but now am having difficulties with a major. Should I go into Biophysics (which has fascinated me)? Enineering (which is the most practical)? Computer Science (which I've always done well in and pursued indepently)? Social Studies (which I've always done well in)? Decisions, decisions, decisions....

[mycoltbug]

I'm stuck in a similar dilemma Zas. I can go pratical and go for computer science which is what I do for a job thus bettering my income where I work or I could do what I love which is writing/editing/helping authors. Puts me in a bit of a bind to be honest. That's why for the mean time I'm just working on my generals which I should have done in a year and go from there.

[Syborae she/her]

Is it considered necroing if it's only been a month or so? If so, sorry! Not trying to break the rules in my first 3 hours!

I graduated in 2005 from a boarding academy and went straight to a private christian college that was way too expensive for me so I could take Theology. Then I wasn't able to afford to return and that combined with hella other things made me very depressed. I returned home and tried to do community college but my grades went way down, I skipped classes and didn't do homework and basically just screwed myself (because i really didn't care). Now I just want to hit my old self upside the head and say...snap out of it! Regrets, regrets.

I want to return but I'm nervous that I'll fail like before. I graduated with honors from highschool but totally failed at college and I keep thinking I'll do it again. That and I have to cough up the money myself until I get my GPA up (It's a 1. something). But lately I've been fed up with not pursuing anything. I'm gong to start checking out all those free cool things that colleges put up on iTunes and stuff and start teaching myself some things but I'm also going to start saving up to return. I'm thinking about pursuing History bu I'm still debating on things. I do not want to live a stagnant life anymore, where one day bleeds into the next!

[Squallor he/him]

I am rocking the double major in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical/Computer Engineering. Graduated 2 years ago and am currently working as a business consultant, however, I just got a job offer last night for robotics engineer where I will be working on robots in the semiconductor industry. As you might guess, i am super pumped to be doing this rather than business consulting.

[Joe ST he/him]

I totally graduated with a joint Mathematics and Computer Science

and robots are always awesome Squallor good luck!

[Squallor he/him]

I totally graduated with a joint Mathematics and Computer Science

and robots are always awesome Squallor good luck!

Thanks!

[darniil he/him]

Is it considered necroing if it's only been a month or so? If so, sorry! Not trying to break the rules in my first 3 hours!

The floating ghostly skull will follow you here.

Anywho, I have an associates degree in art, but changed majors after that once I realized most artists don't make money until they're dead. And since I didn't want to spend the rest of my life fixing people's computer problems, I switched over to geography when I found out about GIS. I ended up enjoying it, too. Got a bachelors in that, though I wouldn't mind a masters at some point (once I pay off my bills).

[arturhawkwing he/him]

Im starting grade 12 in, oh, about 24 hours. I love to write, but I cant see myself making a living off writing, so I think that I'll go into computer sciences,because it's practical, and I enjoy it too (if not as much as writing). Anyway, I figure that if I want to write a book, I dont need a degree to do it.

Also, i need some advice from you computer sciency people, is it expected that when you go into university you already have a basic knowledge of programming? Cause I know a little bit (and I mean a really little bit), but should I take time off from writing to learn some computer sciency shtuff before graduating highschool?

[Feloxia she/her]

I'm about to start college *excited*

Anyway, I shall be majoring in illustration. I just feel like it's one of the more flexible art majors, and my pieces generally have a story-feel to them.

But I want to major or minor in something else as well. There are too many things that fascinate me. I can't decide between biology, french, or psychology. Or maybe something with cultures....

[leinton]

Study cultural geography! It's really a fascinating subject.