Post: #61

LoP Guest  Wrote:

LoP Guest  Wrote:

LoP Guest  Wrote:

I had an anal probe. Does that help?

No, Eldrich it doesn't.

He isn't Eldrich.

Eldrich is still in hospital recovering from anal reconstructive surgery.

I'm frickin' DYING here

Post: #62

LoP Guest  Wrote:

LoP Guest  Wrote:

I didn't take "the lazy path". I majored in what I enjoyed which is creative writing. A math whiz might have to work really hard in such subjects. Just because I didn't force myself to do something I have zero interest in doesn't make me lazy.

As I said, if you wanted a degree in Philosophy (or creative writing) that's fine. I hope you enjoy it.

But it's unrealistic to expect it to be viewed in the same light as a math and science heavy discipline.

I don't make the rules. Reality is what it is.

I enjoy writing as well. But I don't think it's going to pay the bills in the same manner Electrical Engineering will. The way I see it, you find a practical way to keep a roof over your head and enjoy writing as a hobby.

That way you don't have lots of student loans to pay back for a degree that is not in high demand.

(As an aside, J. D. Salinger and Nabakov and Dickens didn't learn to write by going to a school. Just think about it.)


Sometimes you need to exercise the discipline to study/ pursue things that don't feel like Happy Play Time.

And while you may not be personally lazy, I know many, many college students who are. Can't be bothered to read the mterial, can't be bothered to study, can't be bothered to turn in work that's one ito above mediocre.

That's laziness. And it's endemic.

Wow, do I detect a hint of condescension in your reply? You don't need to give me a lesson about which degrees pay off in terms of salaries. I am well aware that my English degree was not going to net me a lavish lifestyle. You did not say that it was fine by you. What you said was that those people who are too lazy to study math and science can't complain. Something to that effect. Did you hear me complain about my chosen field? No. I simply said "lazy" was not an appropriate label for someone who chooses to follow their passion rather than chase dollar signs.

The way I see it, I had no interest in math so therefore I was never going to pursue a degree in math-heavy field, especially not to "keep a roof over my head." I can do that quite fine without one. Stephen King, obviously an enormously successful commercial writer, worked at a donut shop when he wrote Carrie. He made a ton of money from that book. I don't need to be told writing can be done as a "hobby". I am fully aware that it is a difficult to field to be profitable in. I agree with Stephen King that a wannabe successful writer's best education is in reading as many books as possible. I chose my major because I knew I would be doing precisely that. I am working on a romance novel as we speak. I chose that genre simply because it is the most profitable worldwide.

I have been a proofreader in law firms for years and I am pretty certain my degree was an asset in getting hired by the various temp agencies that the law firms use. From there, I developed a reputation as a very skilled proofreader and was in constant demand. I am currently looking into medical transcription editing as a new career because it also utilizes my natural talents. You need to have really good spelling and grammar and vocab to do that. People think it's one of those Stevens-Henager college types of fields but it's actually really challenging if you are doing it well. It doesn't pay well but it puts a "roof over my head". As an aside, I have two good friends who are engineers, one a woman and the other my best friend's husband, and both are miserable and burned out after only 5 years. Both are civil engineers.

Finally, my studies did not feel like "Happy Play Time." I was a natural at it and therefore it was not difficult for me, and since difficult can often translate into boredom/lack of interest which can then translate into not retaining info very well, I would say if one can get through their coursework with a sense of enjoyment then that is nothing to be concerned about. I would say it shows a natural ability and curiosity in the subjects. Life is too short to study math just because it's a guaranteed paycheck. I didn't have the foundation for it anyway. I know plenty of math majors who can't string together a coherent sentence. To diminish the importance of English skills and elevate the importance of math is silly imo. Both are equally important to society. One just pays a lot more. I am comfortable enough where I'm at now. I don't have the boat or two trucks and a camper like my friends the engineer and nurse, but I'm also not suffering burnout and everyday I am excited about where my mind will lead me next.

One more thing, lol. I know I didn't have to go to college to be a successful writer. I went to "find myself" like a lot of young people do. I felt that someday I might want to teach. I changed my mind towards the end of college but I have had a couple of jobs since then that required a B.A. One of them I really enjoyed. It was grading 8th grader's ISAT essays about various topics. Very interesting job. It was fascinating to see the difference in the writings of the children based on their neighborhoods. Pretty sad actually. I also worked as an editor at our college fiction mag, and I ended up tossing out 95% of all the entries. You might be amazed at how many people who write for "hobby", or because they think they are the next Nabokov, are absolutely horrendous writers. Lots of ego out there, very little talent.

Post: #63

Party on college of America...you wont' be able to afterwards.

Post: #64

Btw, I never had one of these jobs OP speaks of, but I sure am interesting in where to find one! Sounds great. Screwing around all day, being witty and funny, drinking coffee, surfing the net, and making 75k a year? I'm in!!
Nope. The best my B.A. ever got me was a job making 30k a year. I quit after a year though. It was not hard at all and I did surf the net quite a bit. I was really bored with it. Since then I haven't had a professional job. I've done retail and I'm ok with it for now. Where I live now is in a depressed job market and there are no big law firms that can afford proofreaders so I had to downgrade. No biggie though. I do have to suffer through people making comments to the effect of "Why are you doing this job? You look attractive and seem smart, what gives?" I hate that part. Anyway, I don't know anyone with these jobs OP speaks of but I would like to have one!

Post: #65

LoP Guest  Wrote:

Btw, I never had one of these jobs OP speaks of, but I sure am interesting in where to find one! Sounds great. Screwing around all day, being witty and funny, drinking coffee, surfing the net, and making 75k a year? I'm in!!
Nope. The best my B.A. ever got me was a job making 30k a year. I quit after a year though. It was not hard at all and I did surf the net quite a bit. I was really bored with it. Since then I haven't had a professional job. I've done retail and I'm ok with it for now. Where I live now is in a depressed job market and there are no big law firms that can afford proofreaders so I had to downgrade. No biggie though. I do have to suffer through people making comments to the effect of "Why are you doing this job? You look attractive and seem smart, what gives?" I hate that part. Anyway, I don't know anyone with these jobs OP speaks of but I would like to have one!

Herein lies the truth.

Post: #66

The Evil AC  Wrote:

College graduate here, currently sitting in my chair (comfy too) in my office on the clock while I'm typing this. I don't really do much physical labor except when racking servers and even that is shit easy. I'm paid well and enjoy my job.

You mad bro?

Shit. I got one on ya! I sit AT HOME...DRAW PICTURES...and get paid...

I wear slippers with jeans and an old Ramones t-shirt half the time. I do lots of labor, though...in the garden. Maybe paint the bathroom.

Oh yeah, I have to feed the cats.

Yeah, college is a waste...

Post: #67

MrRash  Wrote:

The Evil AC  Wrote:

College graduate here, currently sitting in my chair (comfy too) in my office on the clock while I'm typing this. I don't really do much physical labor except when racking servers and even that is shit easy. I'm paid well and enjoy my job.

You mad bro?

Shit. I got one on ya! I sit AT HOME...DRAW PICTURES...and get paid...

I wear slippers with jeans and an old Ramones t-shirt half the time. I do lots of labor, though...in the garden. Maybe paint the bathroom.

Oh yeah, I have to feed the cats.

Yeah, college is a waste...

Good for you! I hope for a life like that for my 2 girls. One is 8 and she is really a talented artist and I don't think talented artists really need college. I know one guy who did go to an art school though. Dropped like 50k on it and he was already super talented. I didn't understand, but oh well.

Post: #68

LoP Guest  Wrote:

LoP Guest  Wrote:

LoP Guest  Wrote:

Shouldn't this thread be locked too, Geo? Obvious callout on educated people is obvious.

Yes, sometimes at LOP this is a hit and miss.

Signed...Redlicorice

Where you been?