Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

[ButchCassidy]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I would suggest that some of you guys look to become stockbrokers, it's pretty easy to get a job and when I did it it was the best time I ever had EVER! The money can be great, and even though the economy sucks right now this is a good time to get in. You do cold call a lot but you'll be with a group of guys around your age so it's not bad.

In marketing you will make no money.

[DocHolliday]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

Sounds like some of you Fella's need a bit of Motivation.

Also, don't worry so much about college and enjoy yourself for godsakes. Its a friggin blast. Let loose and let the overall experience wash over. That is probably more valuable then the piece of paper (well, in some aspects). Meet people, network, get drunk, hangout, etc.

I'm at the beginning of a 130 hour work week! Brutal! I would kill to go back to college right now and drink some brews and play 4 player Bond and Blitz.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

What do you enjoy? Science? English?

What did you feel came easiest to you in High School?

What do you feel most confident about when you take on a problem?

Hate science. Not a fan of English really although I have recently discovered I have pretty good writing skills. I always thought computers was my main interest in high school but could never narrow it down to something specific. I would have liked to do some kind of graphics design or media or something, but those jobs are pretty difficult to find, not to mention I couldn't take a graphics design class until my junior year. I took java programming and it whipped my behind and then I realized programming is not for me.

Hate to break it to you but 9.8%. It sucks no matter what degree you graduate with.

I have been doing the life dance with majors/careers for years. I realized I am just as happy working lifeless jobs as I am something I am passionate about as long as I have free time.

RuffRyder I guess I am saying it is going to be hard to find a job no matter what major you have but in reality it shouldn't matter all that much because every job gets monotonous and boring sooner or later.

Yea true. But I'm just not trying to pursue a career just because I enjoy it when in reality, there's very little demand for that type of profession. I don't want to feel like I went to college and wasted my time. I figure I can at least "go through the motions" and graduate, pursue an MBA or something. Or at least follow the path until I find something better to do rather than bounce around with no real direction.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I sure wish I didn't decide on a major that would kill my GPA, but I feel like things are coming around with Accounting in my last year.

However, because I didn't focus as well my junior year with the first couple of integrated accounting topics courses, I'm playing a little catchup and sometimes I feel like I'm lost.

[tyler289]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I knew my major as soon as I hit senior year of high school. Now I'm at one of the best schools for it in the nation, in a major market for it, and am 100% loving it. I get free food, get to cover my favorite teams, and get to get experience doing a bunch of different stuff.

But I still have no idea what I want to do after college. I could go 100 different directions but have no idea. But I'm glad I have no idea. The great thing about my major is that you never know where it will take you. The fun thing about college is that you have no idea where you will end up, and you're not supposed to. You can't see the future.

[gta95]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

Sorry to sort of hijack the thread but how much programming is involved in Computer Science for those in that course? I'm big into building computers at home and setting up and managing networks, but it seems like the only course for me would seem to be Information Systems. I like how much Computer Engineering pays but have no clue what exactly I'd being doing with it. Damn this deciding on a major stuff is difficult. I'm pretty sure I want to go into some sort of Business/Supply Chain Management but from how you guys describe how boring it gets, I've been sort of falling back on that plan

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

Sorry to sort of hijack the thread but how much programming is involved in Computer Science for those in that course? I'm big into building computers at home and setting up and managing networks, but it seems like the only course for me would seem to be Information Systems. I like how much Computer Engineering pays but have no clue what exactly I'd being doing with it. Damn this deciding on a major stuff is difficult. I'm pretty sure I want to go into some sort of Business/Supply Chain Management but from how you guys describe how boring it gets, I've been sort of falling back on that plan

Well, at my school, everyone had to take Java 1 and 2. Then IS took more business based classes, where CS took more theoretical classes. There was networking/database/CS/software engineering concentrations for the CS side, and I don't remember IS lol.

Anyway, have you ever tried your hand at programming? If not, give it a try. Do some sample problems, and see if you can get your head around it. I find people either get it, or don't. If you don't get it, all the work in the world won't let you get it (then again, I could be wrong, but this is just my observation).

But if you get it, buckle in, because you're in for a good ride that'll result in a pretty good career. I've been told that 6 figures is in my future, which is my main financial goal in my life.

Sorry, I tend to ramble when I talk about CS. It's definitely where my calling was, and I'm glad I recognized it as early as I did.

As for computer building, you're probably not going to find much in CS departments... I think you're going to look more towards Electrical Engineering for that regard. Networks you're looking more at CS.

I hope that helps.

[Laffer]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I'm at the beginning of a 130 hour work week! Brutal! I would kill to go back to college right now and drink some brews and play 4 player Bond and Blitz.

130 hours! Jesus, are you doing a residency in general surgery?

[DocHolliday]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

130 hours! Jesus, are you doing a residency in general surgery?

No, Im working on a show for a big company. Between rehearsals, setups, troubleshooting, and actual shows, the hours breakdown to about 6am to 11:00 pm everyday. Ill be able to take off almost all of November after this though, so it pays off.

[TheLetterZ]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

You could do what I do. When I had free time to waste, instead of wasting it, I did something productive, like programming on the side.

Why do you have to wait for game programming? Go ahead and try your hand at it! I wrote a PHP-based system that would decide for me which GameFly games I wanted (based on factors). I worked really hard on that, and now I have it where I put just enough info for it to start to do work, then it takes care of a lot of info that I used to have to tediously find.

I found that I loved programming so much that I would want to do it even when I wasn't required to. I have a ton of little projects I made that I tried to make my life easier. Is there anything you find yourself doing a lot that's repetitive? Try making a program out of it. One idea I always have but I can never seem to get started at is a program that would tell me a good lineup based on stats or ratings. I would always want to make one but I never seemed to really want to, if that makes sense.

Sometimes you have to make your own fun with it.

BTW, working in the real world isn't all Office Space. If you find a team you like working on (like I lucked into), it won't matter if you work on accounting programs, games, etc.

Also, if you're really wanting to get into game programming, bone up on your physics and your math. Just putting that out there.

I've given you a lot of crap in the past, but good for you. It sounds like you have things figured out.

To piggyback on this post, my advice is to try whatever interests you. If you're interested in something, read some books about it and try some side projects. If you can do some free work for someone, even better.

You find out what you like doing by trying a bunch of things and seeing what interests you.

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I've given you a lot of crap in the past, but good for you. It sounds like you have things figured out.

Yeah, I'm in a much better place than when I started here and when I started at MM as well. I don't hold it against you, I get crap from a lot of people, lol.

But thanks.

[Tha_Kid]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

Even if you're bored go do an internship.

I made the mistake of not interning, bad idea.

Yea true. But I'm just not trying to pursue a career just because I enjoy it when in reality, there's very little demand for that type of profession. I don't want to feel like I went to college and wasted my time. I figure I can at least "go through the motions" and graduate, pursue an MBA or something. Or at least follow the path until I find something better to do rather than bounce around with no real direction.

What stewaat said is very, very true. Especially if your general plan is to go through the motions and see where it takes you with a typically solid major. I graduated this past May with a Business Degree (computer information systems) and also have no real work experience. I didn't really like it but I was capable and graduated with a solid GPA and felt wherever I ended up I'd be able to make a go of it. Didn't figure on ending up at home.

As long as you intern next summer you'll have a decent leg up and the lack of work experience won't matter. If you don't, in two years you might find yourself giving advice on a forum at 10:30AM instead of using your bachelors degree.

I'd also cosign whoever said network, meet people, get drunk, hangout, etc. I did none of that so my college experience was double fail. Don't be like me lol.

[superjames1992]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

I'm fairly certain I want to major in Atmospheric Sciences (Meteorology) when I enter college next year. My parents have been pushing me towards engineering the last couple years, but I think they see where my true interest lies and they have started to come around and support a meteorology major. I'll probably go to N.C. State (Assuming I can get it, which I'm pretty sure I can) as that's widely considered the best meteorology school in the state. I don't want to go out-of-state as tuition would be a lot more expensive.

I love the weather and I generally like math and science, so this should fit me well.

[TheDutchDad]

Re: Anybody else here in college with no clue about what they're doing?

It's kinda funny I came across this thread, as I was talking about this same subject with some friends today.

I went straight to college at the University of Colorado right after HS, and lasted all of two years, before I said, "Screw this." I quickly found out that it's not at all realistic to expect 18 year olds straight out of HS, who are still kids to decide what they want to major in and do the rest of their lives. I find it much more realstic to take at least two years, and wait until you're 20 to decide anything, and thats after you get some real world experience.

Shortly after leaving college and trying to really find what I like to do, I went and got my real estate license and and have been working in commercial real estate ever since. I'm now 25 and have yet to really get back into school since getting my license. I will eventually finish school, and get my degree in Business Management (most likely), or I may change things up and go for a teaching certificate. I've recently started tutoring after school and really enjoy that, and really enjoy teaching elementary aged kids.

Point is, I have a very cynical view of college. We are all shuffled out of HS and straight into Universities where they expect you to decide exactly what you want to do at an age I don't even think our brains are even fully developed to make such a mature decision. I have many friends who have graduated recently and don't even want to go into the work force using their degree they got in school. I find universities to just be huge business' more concerned with indoctrinating young students into how they want us to think, rather than really developing us for future leadership.

Moral of the story. For you younger guys, take time, work, and really find what you're passionate about before getting into something too deep. You're young...there is no rush. I'm 25 and still figuring it out completely, and the real world exeperience I have so far in the business world is greater than anything I could have received in school had I gone 4 straight years and not done anything but that.