School Advice please

[JaniceZ]

First, a little background. I have been going to the University of Waterloo for Environment and Resource Studies for two years. I am in the coop program, so starting in my second year I had a co-op every other term. (Ex. September-Dec.- Classes; Jan-April - Coop; April -Aug - Classes; etc). It is a 5 year program, So at the end of this term I will be half way through.

I LOVED all my classes in first year. They were interesting, my profs were easy to listen to and easy to ask questions. This year has been different. First semester I only enjoyed my elective courses, while I really struggled with the required ones. I learnt a lot on my coop term about what sort of a job I could end up with, but I'm not excited to graduate so I can work. This semester I am in school and its awful. The courses are super unorganized, I have no idea what I am supposed to be doing. All five of my courses are part field work part online. I have only heard from one of my profs who did explain his class objective and projects to me. The rest I still have no idea and those profs have asked us not to contact them. I have looked at next years classes, and they are mostly statistics and monitoring. Something I am not interested in, and 4th year is writing a thesis and more electives.

I am also doing interviews for coop in September. So far I have interviewed for a camp counselor, something high school kids do, and tomorrow I have an interview to work in a lab. Something that would be interesting, but not what I want to do for a career.

I feel like I have put a lot of time and money into this program. But at the same time I don't want to put more time and money into something I don't want to do anymore. My parents believe if I stop now I'm giving up and selling myself short. I just don't think its a good idea for me to waste time and money on a degree I'm not enjoying now, and don't think I will enjoy doing in the future. Am I being 'selfish'? should I just continue and be content to get my enjoyment out of other parts of my life but not my job?

Sorry for the long post, had to vent.

 

[ohmt]

If you don't love where your major will take you, SWITCH! I am a microbiology major because I want to go to vet school and everyone said that would be best to prepare me. While I love my microbiology and biology classes, I absolutely loathe most of my gen ed classes and classes like Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, and Calculus. They have been absolutely awful. The only reason I put up with them is because I know they'll get me where I want to go. If your major isn't going to do that, there is no point in taking those classes and paying for them. People switch majors every day-can you find out what major you'll need to do what you want and switch? Otherwise, if you love what you're doing for a job right now and can see yourself doing it for years and years, then by all means you should do what makes you happy

that's not being selfish

 

[miniwhinny]

Don't do something just to please your parents...you're not a child, you're an adult. If they love you they will want you to do what YOU want to do. Why spend your time and life doing something you're not enjoying AND paying for it too!

 

[Ashley]

I ran into this problem with my current major as well. I lost intrest about a year ago. However I decided to stick it out since I only had a year left. However, my Masters degree will be way different then my current degree.

If your not that far in switch. If you are a ways in you might want to reconsider. Talk to and advisor they will be able to tell you what will transfer to a new degree and what wont.

 

[anoki]

Don't do something just to please your parents...you're not a child, you're an adult. If they love you they will want you to do what YOU want to do. Why spend your time and life doing something you're not enjoying AND paying for it too!

I second this!

As someone who didn't follow what my parents 'would have liked' (but never pushed on us), I didn't go to college/university like the 'norm'. Chose a 3 year apprenticeship in a field that was somewhat unusual. I LOVE my work....it's too bad the economy is so awful right now, and times are tough....but I still wouldn't go back and change the whole schooling thing, because I was just not interested in doing schooling that wouldn't guarantee me a job (or even a 'well paying' job) when I wasn't sure it was where I was wanting to end up anyway.

I'm not saying everyone should follow my footsteps, but if you are NOT happy with where it is taking you, don't do it just to please someone else!

~kathryn

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I could say a lot on this subject, but I will limit myself to telling you that pushing yourself endlessly towards something you aren't enjoying and don't believe in is a bad idea. Perhaps a different school would help? I say that because my philosophy studies at Western Washington University were enough to make me want to drop out from sheer boredom and yet the same major at the University of Arizona comprised fascinating classes aimed at real-world ethical dilemmas instead of a mind-numbing curriculum intended for those who planned to go on to graduate-level work in the same major. A different school would have made all the difference even in the same program.

Instead, I finally switched majors my last quarter

to General Studies and started having fun for the first time in years! And funny thing, my grades went up from near-constant C's (give or take a grade) to straight A's because I was interested in my work again and doing something that I enjoyed. Wish I'd done it quarters sooner! I've taken so much more forward from those sociology, psychology, and advanced English classes than I did from two years of undergraduate-level philosophy.

Leia

 

[JaniceZ]

Thanks everyone, I am very frustrated about the whole thing. I am going to meet with my advisor sometime this week. Since I have already done two years I think I will look into how many of my credits will transfer into the 'college equivalent' of my university degree, hopefully if most courses carry over I would only need one more semester to get a diploma rather then a degree. Then at least I would have something to show for the last few years. Maybe after that I could figure out what I really want to do. I always wanted to be a vet growing up, but in highschool learnt I cannot grasp calculus and physics, but maybe I will look into vet tech. or something else to do with animals.

 

[chandab]

When I started college we were on the quarter system, 5 quarters in I decided I didn't like my major and wanted to change it, but felt guilty, as it seemed like I had wasted my time and money on those 5 quarters. [Vastly different majors so not much transferred towards my new major.] My dad in all his infinate wisdom told me: "no education is ever a waste". I did change majors, graduated, and only worked one summer in my field.

But, I don't regret getting my degree. {I had more to say, but lost my train of thought and supper's ready.}

 

[weebiscuit]

I feel like I have put a lot of time and money into this program. But at the same time I don't want to put more time and money into something I don't want to do anymore. My parents believe if I stop now I'm giving up and selling myself short. I just don't think its a good idea for me to waste time and money on a degree I'm not enjoying now, and don't think I will enjoy doing in the future. Am I being 'selfish'? should I just continue and be content to get my enjoyment out of other parts of my life but not my job?

Janice, when you went into this program, what did you expect to do when you graduated? Like, what type of career was this major preparing you for? And, is your dislike now just because you don't like taking classes on statistics and other boring stuff (like, who does??? I remember having to take statistics in college... I hated stuff like that) or is it because you've come to realize that you don't want to work in the field your education is preparing you for?

The reason I ask is because I wonder if perhaps you are limiting yourself to the jobs and fields they've been telling you about in college. I think that with that type of major, the door would be open to an incredible variety of occupations! Probably many things you've never even thought of yet! I have a niece who got a degree in Environmental studies and we all thought, "Huh???" But she started in one job, then moved to another because of her experience, and today, ten years after graduating, she's got a BIG deal of a job with the government and makes a wad of money and her work is mostly outside.

So, if you are interested in the environment, your education is a good starting point. Once it's under your belt, I think you might be surprised at just how many careers are out there that will fall into this category!