What should I study?

[Fawriel]

I know, the premise seems more like something for the Pool Room, and it may not be the best start for myself here after just getting in. But now I'm here, and I guess I'll make the best of it.

I've just finished school and I'm about to receive my diploma and move to another city to study there and begin a new era in my life. But the problem is... I'm unsure about what I should study.
For many years now, I've had the dream of becoming a world-famous manga author. Of course that's perfectly unrealistic, especially considering my level of skill, but it has kept me going, and I'm willing to pour my energies into acquiring this dream after escaping from this gruesome place.
But on the other hand, it is still unrealistic... studying art and literature or maybe something even more specific would mean that I'd be unlikely to get a decent job anywhere, and to sustain myself, might end up having to work for McDonald's and get my fragile little psyche crushed.
I'm skilled in terms of language ( I'm actually German, by the way ) and I have talent for art...
Would it be a wise decision to go for something vague like graphical design, which pretty much everyone applies for?
Also, does studying philosophy actually do any good for you? I'm sure some of you have done it... it sure as hell won't help you find a job, but does it help you on your way to spiritual fulfillment?

I know this is not the typical debate thread, but the reasons I ask for it here are:
-How important is it to follow your dreams? Should one be willing to risk sacrificing a certain standard of life, or even more?
-I'm sure that many of you here are older than me and might be able to relate.
-I've lived my life under a rock and have no idea how cruel the real world is.

Whew, I was almost going to apologize again.
All I wish for is your educated thoughts on my situation... I'd just like to have some more of an overview of all the aspects, because I tend to miss some. "Oh wait, I need money to buy food with. Stupid mortal flesh."
And finally, thank you in advance for your understanding and help. *bows*

 

[Gamer4Fire]

I know, the premise seems more like something for the Pool Room, and it may not be the best start for myself here after just getting in. But now I'm here, and I guess I'll make the best of it.

You are absolutely correct that this is a Pool Room discussion. After reading through your post I have decided that this does in fact belong in the Pool Room and that you only further hindered your argument by pointing out that this is certainly NOT a debate in any way shape nor form.

You will be red carded for this infraction in that you explain that you understood that what you were doing and continued with your action irregardless.

 

[Sporkman]

Anything you want, for real Fawriel.





Coat's on, I'm out.

I may edit this to a mildly more helpful post later.

Edit: Actually I won't.

 

[Xsyven]

I'm starting my sophomore year of college this coming fall, and I still have no idea what I'm majoring in.

The first two years are kind of stupid, since you just need to get generals out of the way. So you sitll have a while before you need to choose something extremely specific.



I'm not saying that you shouldn't think about it, but you do have time.

 

[Gamer4Fire]

To actually answer you question:

Working at McDonald or any other restaurant is just a job, it will not crush your will to live. It might make you hate humanity.

I suggest you major in something you enjoy doing instead of something that will make you a lot of money. Unless your only reason for getting a degree is to get rich, it is better to learn how to do something you will enjoy doing the rest of your life, even if it doesn't make you Bill Gates.

Graphic designs has a lot to do with advertisement as well as drawing skills. It is a stepping stone to a multitude of potential jobs.

If you are fluent in multiple languages you might try to find a job as an interpreter or translator. I have no idea how to find such a job since I'm not fluent in more than one language.

The only thing a philosophy major is good for is to get a job teaching philosophy. It teaches you the basis of logical argument but does very little to help you along the way of spiritual fulfillment.

Your dreams and your life don't have to be mutually exclusive. You can meet people in the vocational field and make friends, get small jobs doing about the same thing and slowly build up credibility. Few people start a job as a consummate professional.

Finally, the world is generally to busy caring about itself to be overtly cruel to any one individual. Unless you find some way of pissing the world off.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I guarantee you will find what you want to do your first two years in college. Millions of people have had the same problem you have.

You say you want to do what you love yet you still what to make an actual living. I say compromise. I'm sure there are all kinds of jobs around that field that you would love.

Majoring in philosophy will only get you a manager position at McDonald's. Thats only if you get your PHD.

 

[Crimson King]

I do graphic design and I have 0 drawing skills. The most you will need is computer skills.

 

[tmw_redcell]

Well, I plan on being a writer and I'm studying English. But you don't need to study it to be a professional writer, I'd say most of my writing skills aside from basic grammar are self-taught. Having a degree means little in getting actual writing published. If you want to be a manga author, look into the industry, find some books about it or something. Also, aren't a lot of managa written and drawn by different people? Focus on one or the other. I suggest writing because there are like a five aspiring manga/anime artists per square foot in American high schools, plus writing is cooler.

Though you're probably best just going into an Arts program, trying out all the 101s that interest you and see what you want to major in from there.

 

[Mugquomp]

Wie gehts? You said your German, right? From my understanding, the German education system is vastly different from the American/Canadian one: you basically choose one career path pretty early on, and stick with it, right? Or at least that's what I learned in my German 101 class last fall.

So the idea of just going to school and testing the waters by taking lots of classes from different subjects, like everyone is suggesting, doesn't really apply. But not to worry. Everything that the Office of Career Services at my school tells me seems to imply that your major doesn't matter too much. You can get a job with virtually any major. Obviously, you won't get into medical school if you don't take some science courses, so there are some limitations. But one of my best friends is majoring in Politics, and is planning to go onto med school and become a doctor. She just had to take some extra courses besides the poli-sci ones and the general education ones.

So don't worry about what you want to study. Find a place you want to go to school, and find something you want to study. It will all pan out from there. Or at least I hope so.

 

[Fawriel]

I guess I can stop pouting about the moved topic and the infraction now. Thank you to everyone so far, you're really helping. Especially Mugquomp, since I didn't really consider how different our educational systems are...

 

[Professor Pro]

study something like chemistry you could get far with that kind of knowledge