# Passion or Practicality?



## Cerberus (Feb 13, 2005)

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## SamuraiLostInTime (Nov 26, 2003)

Passion... and I didn't want to overstay my time in college.

I enjoy philosophy (and like a graduate student might, have strong interests in certain fields), too bad no job requires any of it. Sometimes if a major is a passion... might be worthwhile to pursue graduate studies unless you already have a career job...


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## Amocholes (Nov 5, 2003)

I once was engaged to a girl who wanted more than anything to be a National Park Ranger. She studied Biology and everything else having to do with becoming a Naturalist. She worked as a NPS Ranger for about 4 years and got tired of telling people that the restrooms were outside and to the right. She has been teaching High School Biology for about 2o years now. Her philosophy: "Always have a Plan B"


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## kikachuck (Nov 10, 2003)

Definately practicallity. I sort of like economics, but meh, I wouldn't say it gets me passionate.


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## mismac (Oct 27, 2005)

Passion. I went the practicality route and it made me miserable.


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## Kelly (Dec 12, 2003)

Both. You know my astronomy story - that was my passion. Choosing history was more practical in the sense that I was no longer failing classes, but it's not exactly a practical major in itself, because you can't really get a job in it unless you go to school for the rest of your life.

I was a psych major for about two months and that was probably the most practical major I've had, but I really liked history more, so I changed it. (Yes, I got the double major in history and psych, but I haven't used the psych degree, so I guess it doesn't count.)

Have a nice day,
Kelly


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## Christian (Oct 5, 2006)

You know you have to have passion. If you don't, you're not going to feel like it's worth it.


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## Blue Oval (Oct 18, 2006)

i guess a little bit of both, maybe 60% practicality because i like money, and 40% passion because i like science


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## person86 (Aug 10, 2006)

Both.

I'm in electrical engineering. I love applied math and I love circuit analysis, so I'm happy. I don't think I'd be doing what I'm doing if there wasn't money in it, though. I'm a greedy son of a gun.


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## Blue Oval (Oct 18, 2006)

Just find a job that makes money, because everythings a lot easier when you have money. As for the passion part and being happy, thats what hobbies are for. Like if your passion is working on cars, you can either make it a job, making crap and working on other people's nice cars wishing you had the same. Or get a job that makes tons of money and at night or on weekends wrench on your badass beast of a machine.


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## deoxygenated (Nov 10, 2003)

I would choose practicality over passion, probably because my parents brainwashed me.. They pretty much planned everything out for me, I just have to follow it and survive. I know that sounds like I'm doing all this for my parents, but I don't really know what else I can do. I'm not particularly interested in anything that I can make a career out of. I don't know if I'll regret it or not. I just realized the field that I'm in requires that I kinda overcome my SA and deal with people, but I don't wanna give up now cus I'm halfway done w/ this program.


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## archaic (Jan 16, 2006)

Passion. My father _hates_ my major and sighs, rolls his eyes, and makes some comment about what a waste it is every time I mention it. So it's useful in that it irritates him, heh.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2006)

Practicality and passion.

I started out physics and liked it somewhat but not really.

I took business classes and enjoyed them-- financial analysis etc. It is a very competitive field and I did an internship and didnt enjoy it. Plus much of that cool financial analysis Black Scholes equation stuff, valuation is done automatically by computer programs like DealMaven or Goldman Sach's modified version that no one can get hold of except for them. For that they have computer programmer quant guys working for them.

I am doing an internship in business/tax law some securities stuff, tax returns, estate planning. I like it a lot - can be difficult because it is very technical, lots of rules, and in volume.

I'm also a greedy son of a ***** and it pays a ton of money. But since I like the field its good. So a mix of practicality and passion. However, I urge practicality.

I hear too many stories of people having tough times getting jobs with their majors. Unless you are really really realistically good or at a top school I urge you to stay away from the more liberal arts majors unless you plan on law school or medical wih science prereqs. Hate to say your parents told you so.

We live in an expensive capitalist society for which there are great opportunities and benefits. There are also disadvantages. For the people who work steadily and choose the route less taken, well needed, and harder there will always be tons of payoff.

Your dreams will take time.

I have thought of stuff like having a tax/estate planning practice in a place like Aspen or Steamboat Springs or Park City, Utah but it will be many years before I can do that. I LOVE to ski and that would be a dream. Might not happen until I am 45 or 50.


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## whiteclouds (Mar 18, 2004)

I've was passionate about being an artist my whole life (since I was five or younger), but after two years in art school, my passion disappeared in a puff of smoke. I got to the point where I hated it so much, and it felt so horrible, that I dropped out of school with only one and a half years until graduation. That sucked. I haven't done any artwork since then. I'm definitely choosing practicality, next time.

I'd say it depends on what your passion is. There's got to be at least some practicality in it. I think the trick to picking a major is to find one that's practical and one that you can tolerate. As long as you don't hate it with every fiber of your being, than you'll be alright. Sometimes, a special person can do very well in a passion field, but if you're a regular Joe, it's much safer to go practical. You gotta think about financial survival, first and foremost. Especially if you're planning to support a family someday.


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

Practicality

if you are book smart and speak well you could go so far in life without having a degree or formal education.


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## LastChild (Jul 27, 2006)

I haven't yet, but if I do it will be practicality because I'm not passionate about anything.


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## Drella (Dec 4, 2004)

I couldn't think of anything else. I don't care what I do.


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## GraceLikeRain (Nov 9, 2003)

Passion


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## Anatomica (May 23, 2005)

whiteclouds said:


> I've was passionate about being an artist my whole life (since I was five or younger), but after two years in art school, my passion disappeared in a puff of smoke. I got to the point where I hated it so much, and it felt so horrible, that I dropped out of school with only one and a half years until graduation. That sucked. I haven't done any artwork since then. I'm definitely choosing practicality, next time.
> 
> I'd say it depends on what your passion is. There's got to be at least some practicality in it. I think the trick to picking a major is to find one that's practical and one that you can tolerate. As long as you don't hate it with every fiber of your being, than you'll be alright. Sometimes, a special person can do very well in a passion field, but if you're a regular Joe, it's much safer to go practical. You gotta think about financial survival, first and foremost. Especially if you're planning to support a family someday.


Hi, I'm curious as to why art school got rid of your passion for becoming an artist, if you don't mind. The reason I ask is I'm currently in liberal arts (out of indecision), but I'm thinking of switching to art next semester.


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## whiteclouds (Mar 18, 2004)

Inane said:


> Hi, I'm curious as to why art school got rid of your passion for becoming an artist, if you don't mind. The reason I ask is I'm currently in liberal arts (out of indecision), but I'm thinking of switching to art next semester.


First of all, my school wasn't the greatest. I was studying media arts and animation. They focused primarily on computers, moreso than art, even though it was called an "art school". The classes focused on how to use software like Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, Flash MX, and 3D Studio Max. The problem is, software is always updating, so anything I learn in class gets obsolete quickly. I really loved the art classes, like color theory, life drawing, and art history, but there were so few of them! Maybe I would've done better majoring in tradional arts, rather than media arts.

Secondly, they taught us to rely on razzle-dazzle computer effects to do our artistic jobs for us, while neglecting to teach the fundamentals of art. I learned more about the principles of art from checking out library books in my free time, than I ever did from any class or instructor in school.

Also, I started getting depressed around that time, and that hurt me academically. Happily, I am recovered from depression now, but I very rarely do art or drawings anymore. Maybe I got "turned-off" by my experience? That's alright with me, because I still have the heart of an artist, and I'm sure I'll get back into drawing (as a hobby) sometime in the distant future. In the meantime, I turn to writing often, as a creative outlet.

Inane, you might do well learning art in a college or university. I went to a community college for a while, and their art classes were more creative-minded than the art school I went to, ironically. I don't know what the traditional art majors are like firsthand (drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.), so I can't give good advice there. If you're going into a major where computers are heavily involved (web design, media arts, graphic design, etc.), make sure the ciriculum emphasizes that technical computer work should always come secondary to artistic merit.


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## UnseenShadow (Sep 26, 2004)

Amocholes said:


> I once was engaged to a girl who wanted more than anything to be a National Park Ranger. She studied Biology and everything else having to do with becoming a Naturalist. She worked as a NPS Ranger for about 4 years and got tired of telling people that the restrooms were outside and to the right. She has been teaching High School Biology for about 2o years now. Her philosophy: "Always have a Plan B"


I agree with this. Go with passion, but have a backup plan.


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## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

Passion I suppose. I couldn't imagine majoring in something I hated.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

For me, it's passion. I like the premise of computer programs doing something and communicating with each other. In college, my favorite class had assignments that involved writing a chat program in C/C++ using process threads and again for sockets. I had eight different users from different UNIX machines participating in them. The funny part was there was a series of machines named after Star Trek, Simpsons, and Seinfeld characters.


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## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

Cerberus said:


> Blue Oval said:
> 
> 
> > Just find a job that makes money, because everythings a lot easier when you have money. As for the passion part and being happy, thats what hobbies are for. Like if your passion is working on cars, you can either make it a job, making crap and working on other people's nice cars wishing you had the same. Or get a job that makes tons of money and at night or on weekends wrench on your badass beast of a machine.
> ...


Yeah it's the same with me. I don't ever expect to make much money. I don't need the pool, or the giant tv, or whatever. I won't ever have to support a family, so I guess I won't need that much to survive. Just a roof, some food, and an internet connection. Oh, and a library card.

I started out in math, hated it so switched to science, which is the bachelor's degree I have now. I liked it a lot, and got great marks. I don't know if I feel like going on and doing grad school or professional school though.


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## Johnny1234 (Nov 16, 2006)

Blue Oval said:


> Just find a job that makes money, because everythings a lot easier when you have money. As for the passion part and being happy, thats what hobbies are for. Like if your passion is working on cars, you can either make it a job, making crap and working on other people's nice cars wishing you had the same. Or get a job that makes tons of money and at night or on weekends wrench on your badass beast of a machine.


I disagree with that. You will not be good at your job if you dont have passion for it, thus you will not be making a lot of money. My passion is to be a transplant surgeon, and I even if i was a ceo if microsoft, i still wouldnt be able to have it as a hobby.


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## Blue Oval (Oct 18, 2006)

your taking it too literally, this was what i was trying to convey. find a job that pays the bills, you dont have to love whatever it is, and your hobby is something that you like and helps you relax. and you sure can be good at your job even if you dont have a passion for it, all you need are the skills to get the job done. it doesnt work the other way around tho, if you have a lot of passion to be something, like a mechanic, but suck at it, your not going to get anywhere


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## Skroderider (Oct 4, 2006)

For me it was a mix of passion and practicality in both my attempts -- computer science last year, translation and linguistics this year.
If I went with passion alone, I would probably choose astronomy


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## microbe (Apr 3, 2006)

i wish something interested me enough to the point of wanting to study it, let alone be passsionate about.
My buddy is in aerospace, and i'm so envious of his passion for his sciences. When he talks about his field, he gets excited just explaining it.

i long for that passion that he has for anything in life really.


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

See a career counselor. They have values inventory, personality tests, and skills assessment.


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## blask3 (Nov 27, 2005)

Both


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## alternativesong (Apr 5, 2006)

Both. I really want to be a doctor, surgeon specifically, and kinesiology interests me. I picked kinesiology for my BS so that if for some reason I don't want to go to med school or I don't get into the school I want yadda yadda I have quite a few jobs I can choose from.


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## Lost_Soul (Jul 31, 2004)

Blue Oval said:


> your taking it too literally, this was what i was trying to convey. find a job that pays the bills, you dont have to love whatever it is, and your hobby is something that you like and helps you relax. and you sure can be good at your job even if you dont have a passion for it, all you need are the skills to get the job done. it doesnt work the other way around tho, if you have a lot of passion to be something, like a mechanic, but suck at it, your not going to get anywhere


That is exactly what I am trying to tell myself right at this very moment. I go to community college and am working on a AAS in Health Information Technology....basically coding and stuff. I don't have classes until Jan 16 and so the last week or so I'v been worrying constantly that this won't work out and my parents will be pissed for investing in something I had no desire of purseuing. Although I knew since high school this was what I wanted to do. I really need to stop looking through my textbooks and getting frusterated since classes haven't even started yet.

I would have LOVED to go to a big university and study Anthropology because I am facinated with cultures, though this dream was scratched very early when I realized there is no solid job market for this. Healthcare is always a booming industry and the field i'm going into supposely is going to be in very high demand in the next ten years so we'll see I guess..

To stay on topic, I chose practicality over passion. Learning about Anthropology as a hobby is still ok and hopefully if I make a decent income, I will be able to travel all around the world to experience different cultures first hand.


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## bk (May 2, 2004)

Practicality. I wasn't passionate about anything when I started university. 
luckily I have some passion about engineering now.


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