# Yes, I am still here. And in need of advice.



## CuongNhuka (Sep 30, 2009)

Well, I seem to be going through a mid life crisis at 19. I've got a date with a 21 year old on saturday, I'm getting a new car some time in the next few weeks (it's older then my current vechicle, but oh well), and I'm regetting my career path. Basicly, I realised that while I enjoy being a diesel mechanic, I don't know if I want to do it for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for the next 30 to 40 years. So, I started thinking about it, and I remembered what I've pretty much always had an interest in. History. 

So, basicly, what could I do with a degree in history, philosophy, sociology, poli sci, or urban studies?


----------



## MJS (Sep 30, 2009)

CuongNhuka said:


> Well, I seem to be going through a mid life crisis at 19. I've got a date with a 21 year old on saturday, I'm getting a new car some time in the next few weeks (it's older then my current vechicle, but oh well), and I'm regetting my career path. Basicly, I realised that while I enjoy being a diesel mechanic, I don't know if I want to do it for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for the next 30 to 40 years. So, I started thinking about it, and I remembered what I've pretty much always had an interest in. History.
> 
> So, basicly, what could I do with a degree in history, philosophy, sociology, poli sci, or urban studies?


 
Good luck with the date.  As for the degree...you could always be a teacher.  The Soc. Degree...well, you have this.  You also have these types of jobs.

So, as you can see, depending on how much work you want to do on your end, the benefits that you can take advantage of seem pretty good.


----------



## jks9199 (Sep 30, 2009)

Nothing prevents you from working on cars and trucks while going to school.  A bachelor's degree in most of those fields isn't enough for entry level work in the field, outside of things like intelligence analysis.  (Which the Marine Corps just might help you explore, if you try...)  

What those degrees do, though, is open the door for jobs that require a four year degree.  If you want to do things directly related to the fields, there's a very good chance that you'll need a further degree... or several of them.  Of course -- nothing prevents you from doing the schoolwork, while working on engines, and doing research and work in the field and still working on engines to pay the bills, too.


----------



## CuongNhuka (Sep 30, 2009)

MJS said:


> Good luck with the date. As for the degree...you could always be a teacher. The Soc. Degree...well, you have this. You also have these types of jobs.
> 
> So, as you can see, depending on how much work you want to do on your end, the benefits that you can take advantage of seem pretty good.


 
Hah, I think I already found those sites! Anyways, thank you.



jks9199 said:


> Nothing prevents you from working on cars and trucks while going to school. A bachelor's degree in most of those fields isn't enough for entry level work in the field, outside of things like intelligence analysis. (Which the Marine Corps just might help you explore, if you try...)


 
I don't plan on being a career Marine. I'm only a reservist anyways. My looking at this is so I can get a job, preferably outside of government work.


----------



## Jenna (Oct 1, 2009)

CuongNhuka said:


> Well, I seem to be going through a mid life crisis at 19. I've got a date with a 21 year old on saturday, I'm getting a new car some time in the next few weeks (it's older then my current vechicle, but oh well), and I'm regetting my career path. Basicly, I realised that while I enjoy being a diesel mechanic, I don't know if I want to do it for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for the next 30 to 40 years. So, I started thinking about it, and I remembered what I've pretty much always had an interest in. History.
> 
> So, basicly, what could I do with a degree in history, philosophy, sociology, poli sci, or urban studies?


If you can proactively carve a career out of what you ENJOY doing, rather than trying to enjoy what subsequently END UP doing for work, then you are well on the way to a contented existence.  I would advise caution in seeking to earn your degree unless it is mandated for your chosen profession.  Otherwise you are wasting time better utilised in gaining real work experience.  I have a degree certificate [it is in some drawer somewhere!]  

So yes, only think about what you LIKE doing.  For while job availability in that field and monetary recompense are certainly factors, do not pick a career for those reasons unless it coincides.  A good wage or salary is not sufficient compensation for those 8Hrs/5Days/52Wks if you are unhappy therein!  

Be warned haha.. Danger lurks!! 

Seriously good luck though.  And you have my commiserations for your midlife crisis [at 19yo now, that implies that you might not see your 40th Bday.. shame! That is when they say life begins I think!]


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 1, 2009)

I didn't discover what I wanted to do until I was nearly 30.  Don't sweat it.


----------



## OnlyAnEgg (Oct 1, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I didn't discover what I wanted to do until I was nearly 30. Don't sweat it.


 
I'm 48 and still haven't decided.


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Oct 1, 2009)

OnlyAnEgg said:


> I'm 48 and still haven't decided.



Well, no one votes for me for Emperor of the Galaxy, so until they all wise up and do so, I'm willing to take second-best and remain in IT.


----------



## OnlyAnEgg (Oct 1, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Well, no one votes for me for Emperor of the Galaxy, so until they all wise up and do so, I'm willing to take second-best and remain in IT.


 
lolol

IT for the Air Force here.  Just sorta fell into the job.


----------



## Ken Morgan (Oct 1, 2009)

My degree is in political science and history. 
You can basically get involved in politics, law, the military and teaching. Ive done all four. The most fun is in politics, the most money law; the best job security is in teaching and the military.
Problem is the degree is nothing special anymore. Im in my 40s and Im finally working on my graduate degree. I would suggest getting at least an MA if at all possible, as early as possible.
Keep up you mechanics license, it may come in handy on day.


----------



## LoneRider (Oct 1, 2009)

I agree with jks9199. The Army can also be someplace you can take those skills and most intelligence types tend to network and land cushy jobs with the State Department or other such organizations.


----------



## MBuzzy (Oct 1, 2009)

Just to be devil's advocate here...with non-technical degress such as those in "history, philosophy, sociology, poli sci, or urban studies," you have to be very careful to KNOW what you want to do before you earn the degree.  The jobs that these degrees may get you are either very specialized or very general.  

Here are a few stories to consider.  My brother got a sociology degree and couldn't get a job after college, because he didn't have a Masters or an internship.  So he joined the Air Force.  Ended up doing Intel Analysis and OSI.  Now he is a Special Agent for the Coast Guard.....and his degree really hasn't helped him.

My sister-in-law has a degree in Sociology, but couldn't get a job after college beacuse she doensn't have a Masters or an internship.  She works at Best Buy.

I have another friend who has both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in History.  He is a Naval Officer and never intends to use his degrees.

I have several friends who are Philosophy degree holders.  All Military Officers, none of which will ever use their degrees to get jobs - aside from the fact that they HAVE degrees.

I'm not saying that these are bad degrees or that you can't get a job with them.  But you have to be motivated, you have to KNOW what you want to do with them.  If you go into it thinking "eh, I'll find something."  Then you probably won't. 

It is a different world than technical degrees, where you generally have a defined career path and a limited scope of what you can get in to.


----------



## Flea (Oct 1, 2009)

I got a dual degree in Anthropology and American Studies.  I wound up with a brief career in broadcast journalism.  My selling point with the degrees was that they gave me a level of literacy in my own culture, making me better able to put stories in a context the audience could understand.  The anthropology also (in theory) made me better able to cozy up to a broader range of people in order to get the best possible scoop.  Absolute bull, but employers bought it.

Of course, the other side was that I was so miserable in that field that I'm now on permanent disability with clinical depression.  There's a big genetic component to that, but the career definitely didn't help.

My completely unqualified advice?  Study something you find fascinating.  It's up to you how you apply it, and you can be creative in that.  There is no one to one correspondence when it comes to academic preparation and profession.  If you're really worried about making a degree pay, talk to a career counselor.  They do everything from aptitude testing to mock job interviews. The military, or wherever you got the mechanics training, might even fund it.

Best of luck.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Oct 1, 2009)

I have worked with a PhD in Geology from Harvard, a MS in Oceanography and a BA in Philosophy and all were computer programmers. I know a doctor that is a research scientist and a PhD in Literature that is a project manager for the NYS Ed Dept as well as a teacher that was a public relations person...to name a few.

Your 19, you have time, your really never to old, it is just as you get older it gets harder.  And do you have the GI Bill for education in the reserves?

At 19 I was an Auto mechanic (going to college) and later was in retail and then in security and was on the fast track to LEO before I broke my ankle the week before the agility and ended up in computers, which is not my degree or my minor. And now I am in a MS program for emergency and disaster management. But being sooooo much closer to 50 than 19 it is much harder to do now due to that added responsibilities I now have, and still it is not impossible.

And it has been my experience that there are very few people that know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives at 19 many that claim to realize later, nope that wasn't it so don't worry about it. 

Of all the people I have known over the years I can only think of one that at 19 knew exactly what he wanted to do for a career for the rest of his life and 30 years later he still loves it and he is a truck driver

Don't worry about it, get you degree and then...think about it again. It is much MUCH easier to change lanes after you get that first BA or BS degree when your young and single or a couple with no kids... Although it is not impossible later, just harder.


----------



## Frostbite (Oct 1, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I didn't discover what I wanted to do until I was nearly 30.  Don't sweat it.



I'm 32 and am going back to school in the Spring for a complete career change.  I'm in IT now and am going to school to study Geology.  I'm also considering joining the National Guard.  So at 19, I wouldn't worry about not having all the answers.  I'd be surprised if you did.


----------



## jks9199 (Oct 1, 2009)

Flea said:


> My completely unqualified advice?  *Study something you find fascinating.  It's up to you how you apply it, and you can be creative in that.*  There is no one to one correspondence when it comes to academic preparation and profession.  If you're really worried about making a degree pay, talk to a career counselor.  They do everything from aptitude testing to mock job interviews. The military, or wherever you got the mechanics training, might even fund it.
> 
> Best of luck.



I'm frequently asked questions like "what should I study in college if I want to be in law enforcement?" or "What can I do with a criminal justice degree?"

The answer I give is pretty much mirrored here.  Study something you're interested in and are willing to put the time into getting good grades in.  Because, outside of a few areas like medicine and engineering (and not even all engineering or medicine!), you undergrad degree has very little to do with what you may do career/job-wise.  But decent grades may help you land that first job -- or the graduate level program that you do need for the career you want...

And I encourage people to do some research, including ride-alongs, internships, and other ways to really get a sense of what the work of that field entails... Because it's often a far cry from what you think.  (How many cop shows really portray anything about paperwork?)  I know someone who was in their last semester of college when they did an internship... and realized that they really, really didn't want to be in law enforcement.

The military often offers a chance to obtain training, even as a reservist, and to get a taste of a career field.  Not every MP goes on to become a civilian LEO, nor does every intel specialist in the service go on to do that sort of work in their civilian life.


----------



## yorkshirelad (Oct 2, 2009)

CuongNhuka said:


> I don't plan on being a career Marine. I'm only a reservist anyways. My looking at this is so I can get a job, preferably outside of government work.


As a Reservist Marine and a mechanic, you're already ahead of the game as a 19 year old. Jenna was correct, choose a career path that you are going to enjoy and don't make any hasty decisions. Believe me, time is on your side.


----------



## Gordon Nore (Oct 2, 2009)

The best reason to pursue an undergraduate degree in many disciplines is that you want to study and be student -- nothing wrong with that. When I used to teach community college, I noticed an increasing number of students who would take a four-year university degree in something that interested them, and then -- instead of going to grad school -- would take a community college course in a related field that would lead to employment. Education and training.

At 19 time is on your side. You may well change your mind along the way, and over time market forces may impose career changes on you that you hadn't anticipated. But you gotta love what you do, or life really sucks.


----------



## zDom (Oct 5, 2009)

Bill Mattocks said:


> Well, no one votes for me for Emperor of the Galaxy, so until they all wise up and do so, I'm willing to take second-best and remain in IT.



No one gets voted in as Emperor of the Galaxy, silly. You work your way up from being a senator in the Galactic Senate to Supreme Chancellor.

Then, find or create an emergency so you can get an amendment to the Galactic Constitution allowing you to serve indefinitely.

And then, only THEN, will you be in a position to become Emperor, eventually dissolving the senate.

Problem is, our planet doesn't have a planetary senate position yet. As we don't have interstellar travel down yet, it would be kind of hard to attend meetings even if we did.

So I'm setting my goal a bit more realistically: King of the World. I'm now accepting applications for cabinet positions.


----------



## Carol (Oct 5, 2009)

CuongNhuka said:


> Basicly, I realised that while I enjoy being a diesel mechanic, I don't know if I want to do it for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for the next 30 to 40 years. So, I started thinking about it, and I remembered what I've pretty much always had an interest in. History.
> 
> So, basicly, what could I do with a degree in history, philosophy, sociology, poli sci, or urban studies?



Couple things to keep in mind.  If you enjoy what you do, you're probably good at it as well, or at least getting good at it.  When you are good at your job, there can be many other career opportunities that open up, opportunities that you may not have had exposure to had you not been in the job.  I went from being a musician to being a telecommunications engineer in large part because of opportunities I had while on the job.  For what its worth, I'm working on my 2nd undergrad (at 40).

There is nothing wrong with having multiple passions in your life.  It is possible to pursue studies, as well as activities, that relate to history without relying upon it as a full-time job.  There are more history majors out there in the workforce than there are jobs that require a degree specifically in history...what to do to pay the bills is not a concept that should be taken lightly.

Build good relationships and keep them, and continue to grow new ones. True success in any field is going to be on the strength of your network.  In a field where there is a glut of talent, networking and contacts will make the difference between finding an opportunity you like vs. one you don't like but have to do to pay the bills, or even the difference between working and not working at all.

Good to see you giving these questions serious thought.  : You're taking excellent steps so far


----------

