Decisions, Decisions.......help???

[Daenerys]

Ok, so when I was in high school I was so sure that I wanted to work with animals. I had an idea of what I wanted to be, where I wanted to work, everything. But that all changed when I got to college. I am currently working towards a major in Zoology, but I am beginning to discover that I am much more interested in the hobby side of animals, keeping and breeding pets, than the science side. My coursework in Zoology hasn't been enjoyable at all, and I am already finishing my second year of college. Organic chemistry is giving me the worst sort of trouble, I hate that subject so much, but it is a requirement to take it for my major. I have to take a total of four chemistry classes, two of which are organic chem, as well as physics classes, genetics classes, math classes (though I am finishing up with those now), and all sorts of science classes like anatomy (already took Animal Anatomy and that was AWFUL...almost as bad as organic chem). I am really not enjoying it at all, most of my classes I have struggled in, and now I have no idea what I want to do with it when I am finished.

However, I have always had a small interest in history. I had always enjoyed it in high school, particularly things dealing with the middle ages, and I am currently taking a middle ages history class and am really enjoying it. I have never been one to enjoy writing essays, but I think the essays I write for this class are much better than all the lab reports that I do for my zoology classes. You'd think a lab report, which in theory is just plugging in the relevant information into its designated spots (write about how you did the experiment in the methods section, write about your results in the results section, discuss your results in the discussion section, etc), would be easier, but its actually not. So far in my history class I have not gotten any less that a B while I am struggling to hold my D in organic chemistry.

I have considered changing my major to history and perhaps becoming a history teacher, but I really don't know if this is what I want to do. The idea seems nice, but I know from experience that ideas can be more appealing until you actually try to do the thing itself (that's kind of what I have been saying so far, lol). If I were to switch to a history major I know my life would become full of essay writing, and considering that the class on the middle ages I am taking now is a lower level history, I'm sure it will get more difficult as I move on to upper level classes. I'm really not sure if one class is even enough to make a decision based on. And if I want to do teaching, of course I'd have to do some teaching classes and stuff, and I am not sure that that path is even a good idea, but I have never tried teaching anything to anyone, so who knows.

So, I am really really confused right now about what I want to do. There are so many possibilities....if I stick with Zoology, what could I do? Is there anything I would actually enjoy that would actually pay enough for it to be worth doing? If I don't switch, will I regret it forever? What if I do switch to History, and discover that I really wanted Zoology all along? What if it is actually MORE difficult than what I have been doing?? What if I do try to be a teacher and it just doesn't work? What else could I do that would be enjoyable for me as a History major?

Does anyone have any advice for me before I go mad worrying about this!?!?!?

 

[cobained]

I was in kind of your same situation. Started college knowing I wanted to go to vet school, decided to major in animal science (which, i later found out, is really geared for people interested in farming/producing animals for food, not for pre-vet vegetarians). After 2 years of animal science, or maybe 3?, I realized it wasn't really the right program for me (got hung up on a meat science class where you have to grade the animal alive on tuesday, come back thursday and grade it's carcass. it was tons of fun.). I also wasn't sure if i wanted to go to vet school (*typical* vet job is fairly monotonous and much more about relations with owners than the pets). I was too far in to change my major, so I double majored and added Cellular Biology with the intention of broadening my options after college. That was 6 years ago and I still don't know what I want to do. I married a military man, so moving every 4 years with no real input as to the destination complicates things.

So I guess my advice is...try not to be so overly concerned with what your major is...it is getting to the time when you'll be prolonging college if you don't decide, but take classes that interest you and don't worry about which major they fall in to. I didn't declare my second major until i was a senior, and wound up taking mostly freshman core classes my last semester (art history, speech, linguistics...). Now I work at a university and can take a class or two a semester for "fun" and try different things out. It does stress me out that my sisters both have "careers" and I just have jobs (and they make a LOT more money) but I think as long as you're moving forward in life, you can be happy with less. I almost LIKE moving now, finding a job doing something that i never would have otherwise done (i worked at a zoo, then at a bank, now in a research lab doing animal surgeries). And I'm still considering vet school when my husband retires (o:

Good luck! Life is not simple or straigtforward, and sometimes wandering through it is ok.

 

[Daenerys]

Ehh, randomly taking classes really isn't an option if I don't want to go beyond the average 4-5 years of school. They are very strict about what classes you need to take for a major. In Zoology I still have to take two more chemistry classes (including Organic II), a genetics class, and two physics classes, plus all sorts of Zoology-related elective courses (which aren't necessarily as good as they sound....my fiance, a Zoology major, said that Intro to Animal Behavior is more about genetics, genes, and other not-so-fun things that CAUSE behavior than it is about the actual behavior).

If I were to transfer to a BA in History, all the classes I have taken so far would count towards elective courses with the exception of two classes I have signed up for in the fall semester which I could easily drop and replace. Then that would leave me with some history classes, some literature classes (which don't sound super exciting but I dunno, anything sounds better than more organic chemistry), a foreign language, some philosophy, some "arts and letters" which just looks like a history of art/photography/music/etc class and/or a religion class, a few social science classes, and some major-related elective courses and seminars. Right now, that sounds more appealing than math/chemistry/science intensive courses. But then again, my current views could be tarnished by my hatred of organic chem....for all I know, the zoology electives may not be so bad.

 

[Hypancistrus]

Teaching is a good job for paying bills and having side hobbies. I don't regret my decision to pursue it as a career above a career (fisheries science) working directly with animals. I don't work with animals everyday, but I make enough money to be able to basically afford most types of animals I like to work with, and the hours give me a lot more spare time to spend on my hobbies than Tara's job, for instance. If you do a little less than I do, you do get to have summers off... a whole 8 weeks or so of no work. I usually work, because I spend more than most.

In essence, I was in your boat... pursuing a "career with animals" until I realized that most of those careers are very tough to get into and pay very, very little. There's a trade to be made there... and for me it was a good one.

Teaching IS a high stress position, though, and it's harder (but not impossible, by any means, especially if you are willing to move a little) to get a job in history and english than it is in math and science. If you got a degree in biology, for instance, you could pretty much walk into a job right out of college. A friend of mine did history and it took him about 6 months or so to find a job after he graduated with his teaching degree.

I have been teaching for 7 years now, so I've got a lot of "trenches" experience, so feel free to ask any questions you want. I will give you the blunt, honest answer. At the very least, you could look into taking some education classes and then you always have teaching to fall back on. It's always good to have a "Plan B."

 

[Daenerys]

Well, I most worry about not being good at teaching. I think that the stress of dealing with parents is something I can handle, but what type of person would be a good teacher? What kind of skills do you need to effectively teach children? (btw I'd probably do high school, not middle).

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

If you don't really know what you want to do right now, why not go for a General Education Bachelors? Once you figure it out, you can always go back and get your Masters in your area of interest.

Why not talk to your advisor? S/he should be able to help you with your options, and s/he should also be able to give you at least some idea about what future courses are like.

Also, it might be a good idea to talk to one of the career specialists at your university. They will be able to give you a pretty good idea about what's out there in the way of possible jobs for your major/degree. They could also give you a clue about how difficult or easy it will be to find a job in your area of interest.

Also, google around and see what kinds of jobs/careers are forecast to be in-demand over the next several years. Science-type degrees always seem more desirable to the kinds of employers who pay living-wage salaries than "Liberal Arts"-type degrees. Teachers are always needed, especially if you have certain endorsements, such as the Special Ed endorsement I have, or endorsements in the sciences and maths. Again, anything beyond "basic" education specialties are usually the first to go by the wayside--athletics, arts, music, etc.. Be aware, that teaching can be a thankless, extraordinarily stressful, underpaid and grueling career choice. It all depends on where you choose to work, if you want to go into teaching.

You may even want to sit down and make some lists or do some brainstorming with your counselors, friends, parents, etc. Figure out what you love, what you hate, what you're ambiguous about. Think about the classes you've taken, and look at the classes you still need to take. Read their summaries to get an idea about what they're about.

In other words, choosing a career isn't always an easy thing to do, especially when you're in your early 20's. Sometimes, it takes years to figure it out. And keep in mind that if you're moving every few years, you may not be desirable to employers who want long-term employees. Add that to your equation as you make a decision.

Good luck with your research and choices. They're important now, but remember that you probably have decades left to figure out what's really important to you. You don't HAVE to know right now what that is. Just get yourself a good foundation, and you'll be able to move on and up as time goes by and your priorities become fixed.

 

[smallet]

The only advise I could give to you is this: Even if you are struggling there are ways of getting help to get through your tough courses...tutors and such. But if you go that route make sure that the end goal is all that you expect it to be. ie, go out and talk to a few people working in the field. As well as look at the prospective job market. It is one thing to take all the schooling you need and then find out that the next available job doing what you really had hoped to do and not some related job is not going to happen till someone dies or retires. (that is a bit of an strtch, but you get the drift).

Because in the long run it sucks going to work every day to earn a paycheck in something you hate. And heading back to school later in life is do able, but presents a lot of obstacles to overcome. I say this because I did both. And I do really love what I do now. There are days when you wonder why, but it is only now and again.

It was a real struggle though to og back to school in the middle of my life to make myself happy though. And put a huge strain on the family to get it done. In the end it was better to strain the family though than not have one, because I was so miserable that no one could live with me. Even though my old job paid well and by most standards wasn't a horrible job. It was just horrible to me.

 

[Karoni]

Maybe you could talk to your career counseling office and take a test or two to determine what career you are best suited for. I think you should first determine which field you want to go into and let that determine your classes. Don't let your dislike of a few classes deter you from a degree you want. I should have majored in biology. It was a big mistake that I did not and one I regret. Why didn't I major in biology? Because I couldn't stand the thought of taking the required anatomy course and dissecting helpless animals. I let distaste or dislike of one course determine my future.

Also, check to see what careers are available to historians. If you don't want to teach, I'm not sure what you can do with it. I would imagine jobs as historians in institutions (museums, academia, etc.) are also competitive.

Best of luck to you!! I hope you find something you like.

 

[kathylove]

Since you have expressed an interest in teaching, have you considered teaching type jobs in the education dept. of a zoo, or as a naturalist at a nature ctr., or a park ranger / naturalist type job? Some universities offer degrees in ecology or related fields that might be helpful for those types of jobs. I don't think those jobs are very highly paid, but they might pay enough if your lifestyle is not expensive, and if you really like the job.

 

[tyflier]

Why not look into vetrinary medicine? There are a variety of fields and specialties in the vet medicine arena that each have different schooling requirements. Probably not as scientifically oriented as a full-blown BS in Zoology, though it would still deal with a ton of animal biology and physiology. To what degree would depend on your chosen field.

I would think a lot of your credits would transfer fairly easily, as well. Not positive, but...seems reasonable to me...

 

[Daenerys]

I have thought about teaching science with my Zoology degree, but again that would require me continuing on in Zoology.

And I know I don't want to do veterinary stuff because its extremely competitive and requires a lot more schooling.

And I thought I had mentioned it already but apparently I didn't. I have scheduled two advising appointments, one with the advisor for history majors and another with a career advisor. So hopefully they will be able to help me.

 

[Hypancistrus]

What kind of skills do you need to effectively teach children? (btw I'd probably do high school, not middle).

Honestly, the ability to impart knowlege is a VERY small part of what it takes to be an effective teacher. The best teachers I know (and I don't necessarily count myself among them all the time):

1) Are highly organized
2) Have a laid back, go-with-the-flow attitude
3) Have the ability to effectively prioritize tasks
4) Are very patient (in school-- we use it all up in school and have none left for the outside world. Sucks to be the cashier at Walmart)
5) Are multi-taskers
6) Are flexible and can adapt on the fly when things go wrong or aren't working
7) Enjoy working with young people... most of the time
8) Are self-confident enough to stand up for themselves
9) Accept the political realities of the job even if they don't enjoy them
10) Are realistic about what they can and should accomplish with a given group of students in a given year

You can have all the knowlege in the world, but if you allow yourself to become so stressed out by the realities of the job, it's useless. I've seen very bright people with a lot of in depth real world knowlege who are absolutely useless in the classroom because of this.

 

[ZoologyGirl]

In essence, I was in your boat... pursuing a "career with animals" until I realized that most of those careers are very tough to get into and pay very, very little. There's a trade to be made there... and for me it was a good one.

Same boat here (I'm on a boat!)

I graduated with a degree in zoology (and biological aspects of conservation). I loved my courses and coursework, but found it difficult to find a decent job with just a B.S. in zoology...and I didn't care to go for a masters or higher. From graduation until now I've had normal, bad paying jobs you can get without a college degree.

Over the past couple years I have come to realize that I can do all the things I want with animals as a hobby, in spare time. I love keeping snakes as a hobby, I can enjoy animals without directly being in an animal related job per se. I can travel as a hobby (I love to travel, but can't now because I make no money to do it). I realized I needed to look for something else to do, that I could make money to live with and enjoy my hobbies with, and work I find interesting (making false teeth is just not doing it for me...:laugh

So now I'm going back to school for a medical related field (just got accepted into UW-Oshkosh, woot).

I'd say to really really explore your job options for after you graduate. Maybe get in touch with a career counselor at the college to explore your options. When I was in college I didn't know about half the jobs that are out there that I know about now. Now I'm stuck going back to school again (with no scholarships/grant money this time). I love having my degree in zoology, and loved the courses I took to get it...but if I could go back and redo it all I would have picked a different field the first time around. I honestly don't think I had enough information on career options after college, and I think that is where a career counselor could help.

Good luck!

 

[Susan]

I have thought about teaching science with my Zoology degree, but again that would require me continuing on in Zoology.

And I know I don't want to do veterinary stuff because its extremely competitive and requires a lot more schooling.

And I thought I had mentioned it already but apparently I didn't. I have scheduled two advising appointments, one with the advisor for history majors and another with a career advisor. So hopefully they will be able to help me.

Veterinary Technology - 2 year A.S. degree or a 4 year B.S. degree, you have probably taken many of the required background courses and would just need the specific vet tech courses, usually either licensing or certification after graduation (depending upon the state), can usually find a job easily, pay rate will vary depending upon a variety of factors, but mostly likely enough to be comfortable on, but you won't get rich.

 

[Daenerys]

Honestly, the ability to impart knowlege is a VERY small part of what it takes to be an effective teacher. The best teachers I know (and I don't necessarily count myself among them all the time):

1) Are highly organized
2) Have a laid back, go-with-the-flow attitude
3) Have the ability to effectively prioritize tasks
4) Are very patient (in school-- we use it all up in school and have none left for the outside world. Sucks to be the cashier at Walmart)
5) Are multi-taskers
6) Are flexible and can adapt on the fly when things go wrong or aren't working
7) Enjoy working with young people... most of the time
8) Are self-confident enough to stand up for themselves
9) Accept the political realities of the job even if they don't enjoy them
10) Are realistic about what they can and should accomplish with a given group of students in a given year

You can have all the knowlege in the world, but if you allow yourself to become so stressed out by the realities of the job, it's useless. I've seen very bright people with a lot of in depth real world knowlege who are absolutely useless in the classroom because of this.

The ones in bold are the only ones I know I can do. The others (especially 6, 9 and 10) I have no idea if I can do or not. Usually I am an impatient person, but there are some situations where I can be patient. So depending on the situation, I can be patient. That is something I would have to try and see if I can do it. The self-confidence thing, again that depends on the situation...give me some examples where this would be necessary and elaborate on numbers 9 and 10?

 

[Daenerys]

Veterinary Technology - 2 year A.S. degree or a 4 year B.S. degree, you have probably taken many of the required background courses and would just need the specific vet tech courses, usually either licensing or certification after graduation (depending upon the state), can usually find a job easily, pay rate will vary depending upon a variety of factors, but mostly likely enough to be comfortable on, but you won't get rich.

The veterinary school here is veeeery difficult to get in to. You have to have top grades to even get considered, and even after that it is very competitive. I've always known I don't want to get into vet stuff, though.

 

[Susan]

The veterinary school here is veeeery difficult to get in to. You have to have top grades to even get considered, and even after that it is very competitive. I've always known I don't want to get into vet stuff, though.

I'm not talking about becoming a veterinarian, I'm talking about becoming a vet tech. Different job, wider range of interests (actual clinic, shelters, animal control, armed forces, laboratories, zoos, sales reps for manufacturers/distributors, etc), easier to get the schooling (many colleges have on-line courses). Check it out: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos183.htm

 

[Daenerys]

I still don't really think that is what I want to do, though.

 

[Hypancistrus]

I am going to give you a very specific example. Most administrators are administrators because they SUCKED as classroom teachers, had a terrible time and couldn't wait to get the hell out of the classroom (that or they are chasing money, either way, not great). So they will often try to throw their administrative weight around, and you have to be self confident enough to take their "reccomendations" and "criticisms" with a grain of salt-- gaining what you can from it, but all the while realizing why they are where they are. I am generally confident enough to handle that kind of BS, but my sister, who is in her first year of teaching, is very meek and mild and has a very hard time with jerky admins who throw their weight around... when they tell her she "needs to improve X," she has an emotional/mental breakdown and cannot deal.

Sometimes I toss around the idea of getting my vet tech degree and doing that as a "retirement job." I will technically have 30 years in when I am 52 because I started teaching right out of college... that leaves lots of time for me.

 

[Daenerys]

Hmm, I think that is something I will have to experience before I know if its something I can handle.