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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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insulting others' study paths
#22259789 - 09/19/15 11:31 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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so i've been in school for quite some time now. long story short, i'm a former tradesman who is working on life #2 after an absolutely devastating divorce. i'm a non-traditional student; i'm older (37) and i work a full-time job. the combination of a lot of life happening to me and the demands of being a responsible adult has slowed my academic progress. at this point i am seriously considering moving into a higher paying day job and taking a couple of years off before i come back to finish earning my degree. i've been operating on the edge of a complete a total nervous breakdown since 2010.
my current majors are english and philosophy, with a possible history minor and paralegal certification (i'm considering going into law). my former trade was construction, specifically private development on the civil engineering side. i was a cadd tech. with school, i've followed what interests me under close advisement, and here i am, a liberal arts major. i feel that once i finish my degree that it will be to my advantage, especially when coupled with my previous career experience, even though i'm not 100% on where everything is going just yet. i'm probably not going to hang onto the english major; i'm just not part of the club it seems.
but one thing that bothers me, perhaps more than it should, is when people insult my study path, e.g. telling me that my degree will essentially be "worthless" and asking why i'm not in something that will be more profitable, or perhaps even assuming that i'm too stupid for those fields. rationally, i know that this is about them more than me, either from sheer ignorance, low self esteem, or a bit of both. but it gets to me. there seems to be this underlying assumption that anything that isn't a STEM or specialized degree is an easy track and a pointless waste of time and money, when for me at least, that seems the furthest thing from the truth. my studies are extremely challenging. i cannot describe how difficult these past few years have been for me. class is not easy. moreover, my studies are highly rewarding, and i like who i am now as a result of having started down that path. i also refuse to believe that my degree will diminish my viability as a job candidate, especially if i go into law.
i tend to mostly get this sort of stuff from strangers, but sometimes it will come from friends. i have a lifelong friend with a communications degree from a party school and another who's about to enter grad school for finance. the former has occasionally made some bothersome comments, but the latter friend has said some hurtful things to me. the irony here is that the latter friend's wife is a big time aerospace engineer, and has fully supported his lavish lifestyle the entire time he's been in school. she is actually someone i can have a serious conversation with about school because school was an ordeal for her as well and she didn't have any of the advantages she is (happily) giving her husband now. when the subject does come up, i always tell her that i think the stuff she has studied and works on is crazy cool and that i can't imagine how hard it is. likewise, she says the same of my path, and i don't feel like she's just being polite. there is real empathy and understanding there, it seems. luckily, with my family being big on art, music and the sciences (we're just a brainy bunch), i don't even catch a whiff of any of this nonsense.
i realize this place is a veritable farm for retarded, misinformed, narrow minded and downright juvenile opinions, and i'm expecting plenty of those in response. but does anyone else understand where i'm coming from? TL;DR - it sucks when some of your closest friends don't seem to believe in you, especially when you are bleeding through the ordeal you're going through.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
Edited by millzy (09/19/15 11:35 AM)
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Bitter Cactus
reformed bad boy



Registered: 01/26/12
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy] 1
#22259847 - 09/19/15 11:46 AM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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The higher you go up, the more people that wanna knock you down. Misery loves company.
Fuck the haters, strut your feathers with pride bro.
I'm working hard as fuck towards my bachelor of commerce. Everyone wants to shoot me down but I am laser focused on the goal.
-------------------- Taking acid and thinking you are a better man is a lot different then actually becoming a better man.
Edited by Bitter Cactus (09/19/15 11:47 AM)
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Arctic W. Fox

Registered: 09/23/14
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Quote:
Bitter Cactus said: The higher you go up, the more people that wanna knock you down. Misery loves company.
Fuck the haters, strut your feathers with pride bro.
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Bitter Cactus
reformed bad boy



Registered: 01/26/12
Posts: 11,773
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Last seen: 8 years, 4 months
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Put on your blinders like a race horse and just look at the finish line and don't let anyone get in your way.
-------------------- Taking acid and thinking you are a better man is a lot different then actually becoming a better man.
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larry.fisherman
shoulda died already



Registered: 11/03/12
Posts: 36,294
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Quote:
Bitter Cactus said: The higher you go up, the more people that wanna knock you down. Misery loves company.
Fuck the haters, strut your feathers with pride bro.
I'm working hard as fuck towards my bachelor of commerce. Everyone wants to shoot me down but I am laser focused on the goal.
No one cares enough to shoot you down. You're just so full of yourself that you don't know when to shut up. Wahhhhhh you're still whining. Every fucking excuse to whine, you take it. It's quite pathetic. You even took the first responsive post in this thread just so you could whine about some irrelevant shit, then throw in your educative goals for some sympathy. Why can I assume that? Well, because no one has done anything of the sort. So you're whining because so many people around here are calling you out for being a loudmouth parrot and you can't handle it even though you try so hard to appear like you don't.
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Ezuma
Gontish Wizard



Registered: 12/02/13
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy] 1
#22260113 - 09/19/15 12:50 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Yes I feel ya
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r.lutece
gave Columbia her wings.



Registered: 09/06/15
Posts: 745
Loc: ∅
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I got my Bachelor's in Theatre, bro. I know your pain. I started out in psychology headed for a developmental therapy track, but I remembered that I hate not doing things with my hands. When I switched, I caught a shit ton of flak from my brother, who considered theatre a worthless degree for people who didn't want to work hard in college. Well, he could fuck right off; in addition to my regular studies, I spent 60-70 hours a week working on shows. I'm not going to pretend it's an easy field in which to find a steady, well-paying job, but at no point does he get to fucking tell me I don't have to work hard to get places. And he's stuck in a medium-high paying career that he fucking hates. Who's the loser now, Brian?!
Anyway, do what you want and don't ever let anyone else make decisions for you when it comes to your life. Even if you have to work harder to make your degree work for you when you enter the field again, you will be so much happier than if you'd nodded and switched to a STEM field just because that's what everyone thinks will make you the most money. Money isn't everything. If you spend 30 years wanting to kill yourself because you chose a field you weren't passionate about, well, I think that easily overpowers joy from being wealthy.
-------------------- One goes into an experiment knowing one might fail. But one does not undertake an experiment knowing one HAS failed.
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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: r.lutece]
#22260178 - 09/19/15 01:04 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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yeah, with my former career, it was more a path i chose out of necessity due to background issues as a teen (i'm a nonviolent drug offender). i have a natural inclination for drawing that i was able to capitalize on, and my father is an architect, so it worked out. but i was never truly happy doing what i did, even though there were a lot of things about the job i enjoyed and i am proud of all of the projects i had the privilege of being part of. i agree that money isn't everything. being broke sucks though. as far as money goes, all i want is enough.
i'm a bit surprised by the responses here, but i really appreciate the support nonetheless. i don't feel so alone now.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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Arctic W. Fox

Registered: 09/23/14
Posts: 1,357
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Quote:
XLCaps said: You're just so full of yourself that you don't know when to shut up.
Oh really?
Quote:
XLCaps said: A lot of people have speculated on the significance of the beings, and I have the answer.
Shut up, everyone - XL has the answer!
 Dork.
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy] 1
#22260811 - 09/19/15 03:46 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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I guess there is a tendency to see a degree as a commodity item, since generally it's going to cost a shitload of money. Liberal arts degrees may not have the "golden ticket" appeal as much these days but I can see the appeal of dedicating yourself to developing your abilities as a writer. Seems like even in STEM fields there are some people who finish a degree without really developing marketable skills.
Personally I'm in CS and I know that I would not be able to cut it in an essay-heavy degree. I enjoy written debate on here, but with an assigned piece of writing I have a hard time handing something in that I'm not totally happy with, and the whole ordeal just kind of ruins the topic for me if it was something I enjoyed.
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trekie
Metal man



Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 11,085
Loc: Larger cities
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: psi]
#22260847 - 09/19/15 03:56 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Well while I would like to enrich my mind to work some office job . Im not rich 30k to fuck insecure chicks and learn about shit that isnt practical to you getting a well paying job and that insurmountable amount of debt you now have all cause you had a thing for art house girls who thought you were deep.
Next thing you know you are working for an asshole 100k in debt and no career path. I think that is just fucked. Life is short and I dont have the time or more importantly the money to just jerk my mind off.
All im trying to say unless you are training for a career then you are wasting your money. Im not saying education is trash just that if you are going to in debt yourself to a Federal institution whom will get there mother fucking money faster then a crack head land lord on the 1st......
You better use that money wisely, Thats all im trying to put out there
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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: trekie]
#22261129 - 09/19/15 05:11 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
psi said: I guess there is a tendency to see a degree as a commodity item, since generally it's going to cost a shitload of money. Liberal arts degrees may not have the "golden ticket" appeal as much these days but I can see the appeal of dedicating yourself to developing your abilities as a writer. Seems like even in STEM fields there are some people who finish a degree without really developing marketable skills.
Personally I'm in CS and I know that I would not be able to cut it in an essay-heavy degree. I enjoy written debate on here, but with an assigned piece of writing I have a hard time handing something in that I'm not totally happy with, and the whole ordeal just kind of ruins the topic for me if it was something I enjoyed.
it's not just the writing with philosophy. the reading is the most difficult of any of the undergrad curricula by far. and then there's the research. and then there's the math. and then there's logic. if it's not a labor of love for you then you're just not going to make it, like any field. the perception that such a broad and rigorous program of study wouldn't translate into highly marketable skills in the business world, even though they are generalized, is patently absurd. there's a reason why phil majors absolutely dominate across the board for the GRE, and it's not uncommon for people with phil BA's to go into professional school for science, medicine and technology. my plan is to either go into law or get into a field where i can use my general skills while expanding my technical ones.
Quote:
trekie said: Well while I would like to enrich my mind to work some office job . Im not rich 30k to fuck insecure chicks and learn about shit that isnt practical to you getting a well paying job and that insurmountable amount of debt you now have all cause you had a thing for art house girls who thought you were deep.
Next thing you know you are working for an asshole 100k in debt and no career path. I think that is just fucked. Life is short and I dont have the time or more importantly the money to just jerk my mind off.
All im trying to say unless you are training for a career then you are wasting your money. Im not saying education is trash just that if you are going to in debt yourself to a Federal institution whom will get there mother fucking money faster then a crack head land lord on the 1st......
You better use that money wisely, Thats all im trying to put out there
dude i'm 37 years old. i'm not here to "fuck insecure chicks" and "learn about shit that isn't practical". it's very practical even though it isn't specialized. even with specialized degrees, you generally don't specialize until you enter the workforce.
i'll grant you that it's too expensive. but that doesn't make it not worth going, for me at least.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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Konyap

Registered: 06/30/07
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy]
#22261149 - 09/19/15 05:17 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Im at the point where I come to school and they have a different criteria, better keep that GPA high as possible, they also weaseled another course out of me because they didn't accept credits, and they make me take this class that I do really well on the homeworks but fail the big test because everyone there is working in groups or just really really studious to the point of exhaustion.
People boast about stem but in comp sci it feels like chapters are missing from the books, I feel like they do that because they want people to make new things which is essentially the people who study all day and night (the asians)
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy]
#22261157 - 09/19/15 05:19 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
millzy said:
Quote:
psi said: I guess there is a tendency to see a degree as a commodity item, since generally it's going to cost a shitload of money. Liberal arts degrees may not have the "golden ticket" appeal as much these days but I can see the appeal of dedicating yourself to developing your abilities as a writer. Seems like even in STEM fields there are some people who finish a degree without really developing marketable skills.
Personally I'm in CS and I know that I would not be able to cut it in an essay-heavy degree. I enjoy written debate on here, but with an assigned piece of writing I have a hard time handing something in that I'm not totally happy with, and the whole ordeal just kind of ruins the topic for me if it was something I enjoyed.
it's not just the writing with philosophy. the reading is the most difficult of any of the undergrad curricula by far. and then there's the research. and then there's the math. and then there's logic. if it's not a labor of love for you then you're just not going to make it, like any field. the perception that such a broad and rigorous program of study wouldn't translate into highly marketable skills in the business world, even though they are generalized, is patently absurd. there's a reason why phil majors absolutely dominate across the board for the GRE, and it's not uncommon for people with phil BA's to go into professional school for science, medicine and technology. my plan is to either go into law or get into a field where i can use my general skills while expanding my technical ones.
There is some degree of overlap between CS and philosophy in the area of logic I think. I'm just glad I don't have to write many essays. I do enjoy writing logical proofs though.
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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: psi]
#22261213 - 09/19/15 05:31 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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logic is extremely interesting. i've only taken intro. symbolic is what separates the men from the boys. i intend on taking that one by itself after i've gotten a good break and my head back together.
essays can be fun. i think we are alike psi in that i also have a really hard time turning in stuff that i don't feel is up to snuff. the biggest problem for me is having the time to develop my ideas. work, and sometimes the workload of other classes, just fucks all of that up. i've probably written as many bad papers as i've written good ones because of that. there is one in particular that i'd like to go back and just write because i just want to. i did a literary analysis of pkd's do androids dream of electric sheep? that just did not turn out properly due to time constraints, and i felt like in studying it that i gained some really novel insights into it from a critical theory point of view. someday....
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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Bitter Cactus
reformed bad boy



Registered: 01/26/12
Posts: 11,773
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Last seen: 8 years, 4 months
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy]
#22261220 - 09/19/15 05:33 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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When I write essays I take forever because I have a perfectionism aspect to my OCD.
It makes for a really good essay but makes the whole process to get it complete take longer.
-------------------- Taking acid and thinking you are a better man is a lot different then actually becoming a better man.
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millzy


Registered: 05/12/10
Posts: 12,404
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: r.lutece]
#22261245 - 09/19/15 05:38 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
r.lutece said: I got my Bachelor's in Theatre, bro. I know your pain. I started out in psychology headed for a developmental therapy track, but I remembered that I hate not doing things with my hands. When I switched, I caught a shit ton of flak from my brother, who considered theatre a worthless degree for people who didn't want to work hard in college. Well, he could fuck right off; in addition to my regular studies, I spent 60-70 hours a week working on shows. I'm not going to pretend it's an easy field in which to find a steady, well-paying job, but at no point does he get to fucking tell me I don't have to work hard to get places. And he's stuck in a medium-high paying career that he fucking hates. Who's the loser now, Brian?!
Anyway, do what you want and don't ever let anyone else make decisions for you when it comes to your life. Even if you have to work harder to make your degree work for you when you enter the field again, you will be so much happier than if you'd nodded and switched to a STEM field just because that's what everyone thinks will make you the most money. Money isn't everything. If you spend 30 years wanting to kill yourself because you chose a field you weren't passionate about, well, I think that easily overpowers joy from being wealthy.
i can't imagine that level of struggle. you have to really want it with theater from my impression. props that you're out there making it happen. that's awesome.
-------------------- I'm up to my ears in unwritten words. - J.D. Salinger
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psi
TOAST N' JAM


Registered: 09/05/99
Posts: 31,456
Loc: 613
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: millzy]
#22261303 - 09/19/15 05:55 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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The only philosophy-related course I've taken at university (or otherwise) was an introductory Philosophy of Science course. Barely scraped by but I found the material interesting at the time. That was over 10 years ago though so I'm rusty on the details. I dropped out of uni fairly early on and returned about 2 years ago. It's taking forever though as I've only been taking a part-time course load. I've been able to get some work because of it already though, TAed for an intro to programming course last fall and this fall I'm doing a double contract for the same course.
Law seems interesting but I don't think I would be cut out for the pressure. I have a sister who is just now finishing a law degree and she thrives on that type of stuff.
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Ezuma
Gontish Wizard



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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: psi]
#22261322 - 09/19/15 06:00 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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I suppose getting a less useful degree is more of a big deal in the states than here. I mean, if I had to pay US tuition for an arts or writing degree? That would be crazy. But here even without scolarships its like, 3000 bucks a full time semester so its a lot more excusable to my mind
philosophy is a cool major. If I was to start again, I might go dual writing/philosophy. One of my best friends is a philosophy major, smartest dude I know hands down. It's certainly not an easy degree
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Bodhi of Ankou
*alternate opinion blocks path*


Registered: 06/02/09
Posts: 24,778
Loc: Soviet Canukistan
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Re: insulting others' study paths [Re: Ezuma] 1
#22261342 - 09/19/15 06:05 PM (8 years, 4 months ago) |
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My roommate wants to become an "art therapist" when I heard that I literally lol'd.
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