Good Xorning, 2008!

[BaconForTheSoul]

Alternately you could take a hard science course immediately after graduating and laugh on your pedastal as the puny soft majors clean your toilet made of gold and chlorinate your Olympic size swimming pool.

I see Trips respects the hype surrounding hard science majors as much as I do!

Seriously, hard science majors are not more difficult (they're easier in fact, its just strict rote memorization with little critical thinking involved, and require absolutely no ability to write decently) nor do the prospective jobs pay more (hello business ownership & business management, consulting & finance/accounting firms, law firms, and other "soft" professional jobs...the only exception might be getting an MD) than soft majors.

The problem here is, the hard sciences blow.  Okay, obviously this is opinion, since I'm sure plenty of people would have found my Psych classes boring as hell too.

However, after taking classes in a dozen or so different fields, I was about ready to drop out of college 2+ years in.  Finally, I took my first real Psych class, enjoyed it, and continued to take 3 Psych classes a term until I graduated.  College was fun and I got a degree, wtfz! 

I don't apply myself if I don't give a damn.  Biology/Chemistry/Math/Engineering/Business and so on bored the fuck out of me.  I did fine in them mind you.  Business/Math classes came naturally to me, but I couldn't stand them.  If you actually get into Psychology there are oportunities out there.  I basically got my job because I spent a year doing research in college.  Then again, if you just get your degree in Psych/Lit/etc. doing just the minimum then... you could be in trouble.  This is true with a good deal of majors, including hard sciences.

Sure, you might make money more easily with hard major degrees, but if you get bored by them then... what's the point?  Hell, if you're smart and want to just make money despite boredom levels, just go into Poker.  Anyone decent at math can become good at the game in no time at all and make 6 figures a year working part time.  I think it comes down to the whole "Money isn't everything" aspect though.  If you're interested in a hard science, awesome for you.  You'll make money doing something you enjoy.  If you're not interested though... I see no reason to go for those majors just because you can make more.  I'll take my 30something grand a year doing something I (hopefully) enjoy.  If money ever becomes a serious issue, I'll just throw 20 hours a week of poker onto my career.  (Again, ANYONE with any sort of brains can become a winning player.  It's just boring and stressful.)

[AAA]

I don't partiularly care about making megabucks as long as I can live comfortably, what I do care about is doing something worthwhile, which is part of the reason I chose my major. The other reason is that someday I hope to genetically engineer fire-breathing raptors and conquer the world.

[mia~]

Wellllll... I come from a family where Olympic size swimming pools and gold plated bathrooms that shoot lasers are the kind of thing that you and everyone else in your neighborhood has. We're working on the fire breathing raptors. The function of a job to me is basically so I'm not bored for the rest of my life, not to make money.

[AAA]

Fuck you guys I thought of fire-breathing raptors first

[Veryslightlymad]

Wellllll... I come from a family where Olympic size swimming pools and gold plated bathrooms that shoot lasers are the kind of thing that you and everyone else in your neighborhood has. We're working on the fire breathing raptors. The function of a job to me is basically so I'm not bored for the rest of my life, not to make money.

Do you have any sisters?

EDIT
Personally, I think money's not really an issue, so long as I can get insurance. I'm confident in my ability to make wise investments, and then, as Scar said, there is Poker, which I seem to remember being pretty darned good at. I just want a career that gives me some level of freedom. I don't want to be like my dad and work long hours in the middle of the day, have an hour commute both ways, and never see my fucking kids ever. He gave me a great life and a lot of advantages, but I think I'd have been happier if I got to see my dad more often.

[Taishyr]

I think my ideal home would be 800 square feet, tops. Maybe less, I'd have to see. Apartments are cool, too.

Really, I'm discovering I'm a major spendthrift in most areas. Kinda weird. At least languages should let me get some sort of a job somewhere? Especially since it's Chinese with Japanese as possible backup?

[BaconForTheSoul]

I don't partiularly care about making megabucks as long as I can live comfortably, what I do care about is doing something worthwhile, which is part of the reason I chose my major. The other reason is that someday I hope to genetically engineer fire-breathing raptors and conquer the world.

I'd imagine something worthwhile should be a person's most important goal.  If it pays good, bonus!  There are plenty of ways to make money on the side that don't involve getting into a shitty career that you hate.

The best side money making idea is obviously fire breathing raptors that you can sell to super rich people.  (You sell them the runts, the most badass obv. stay with you.)

[Cotigo]

doing something worthwhile

That's the crux of the matter.  Money is an issue--I'm not nearly so idealistic enough to say I can do whatever and not worry about money.  However, it is not the main issue, just part of it that compounds the pressure on the matter along with everything else.  Were I to be studying in one of the "hard" sciences I could say that I was doing something worthwhile--something that not only interests me but also would allow me to learn something.  English, particularly the art of writing, interests me greatly, and though I certainly am becoming a better, more articulate writer because of it, I find it hard to justify that I'm learning anything.  The "hard" sciences study the empirical facts of the world and discover new ones.  The humanities study information about human interaction, development, etc.  Hell, even business majors are learning how to run a business, sell a product or manipulate people.  What exactly is learned with an English degree, that can be extended out of the study itself?  The problem is, I don't know.  The only people who care to read what's written by literary critics are other literary critics, and the only people who care to read contemporary fiction are other contemporary fiction authors.  That, I would say, qualifies it as mental masturbation, and thus I'm not really learning anything, and thus I'm not doing anything worthwhile.

But then when I'm actually studying or writing I'm having fun doing it and do it decently.  You know what else I do decently and have fun with?  Dicking around, playing videogames.  Doing nothing of importance.  Hey, it's just like what I'm studying--nothing of importance.

[AAA]

It's kind of hard to make fun of English majors when they're already full of self-loathing.

[Xeroma]

I've mentioned it to several people in chat already, but I feel I might as well post it here.

Come this June, after I graduate, my family + me are all moving to Phoenix, Arizona. =F

The reason is the following:
1. A part of the bank my dad works at shut down and has forced him to do a lot of work in Arizona.
2. For the same rent we're paying right now we can get a much better house there.

I guess this means I can harass miasma or something. Or the other way around, whichever comes first.

[Grefter]

Bullshit Zenny, complete and total wankers like myself are likely to pick up bits of both.

Smashing Pumpkins holy shit they kicked a bit of arse live.  More than I expected.  Their loud stuff was very garage feel because it was so massively wall of sound stuff.  Still pretty cool and the style fits their heavier songs (yeah they played lots of old stuff even though there is only a couple of the original members).  Billy Corgan swore at the crowed and made fun of people a bit, I laughed (cause seriously yelling PLAY THIS!!!! is stupid and it was fun to see someone call people on it).  Bit drama queenish, but I can see where he is coming from pretty easilly.  He is a musician who has a history of being a bit of one but having a lot of respect for his fans (See Machina's sequel release and him wanting it to be free to everyone who bought Machina, then that failing so it becoming free for online distribution by fans), so he likes to just get up there and do his thing on his terms.

Anyway the show is pretty much all Billy Corgan, the rest of the band is just kind of there, they play and play pretty well, but Corgan is the centre of all the attention (not just the not so subtle lighting queues, but like everything, musically and mostly just his stage presence being overpowering to the other members.  Even Jimmy Chamberlin who was kicking a fair bit of arse on the drums tonight).  The suprising part is how little Corgan puts on, there is the standard rock guitar stuff, but his interaction with the audience is really pretty minimal with him only rarely directly speaking, most of it was just really minor hand motions and people picked up on it with no real prompting.  Also what of that there was it was just him pointing out just how hard the other members were rocking the fuck out on a particular piece.

So yeah, good night and Pumpkins are still something to respect it seems, which honestly suprised me.

[Strago]

Since I KNOW you read this topic you filthy actor: Go vote in the DL and NR Strago. *Cracks whip* It's been months since I've abused you into voting.

No. Ha!

Thesis is due in two weeks, play goes up a week from Thursday. So it's crunch time. Thesis should be fine, though. Pretty much just need to write my introduction and conclusion and then spend some time editing the paper and making sure it flows well as a whole. Planning on handing it in next Friday so I can have fun for most of show weekend without it hanging over my head. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Sierra]

doing something worthwhile

That's the crux of the matter.  Money is an issue--I'm not nearly so idealistic enough to say I can do whatever and not worry about money.  However, it is not the main issue, just part of it that compounds the pressure on the matter along with everything else.  Were I to be studying in one of the "hard" sciences I could say that I was doing something worthwhile--something that not only interests me but also would allow me to learn something.  English, particularly the art of writing, interests me greatly, and though I certainly am becoming a better, more articulate writer because of it, I find it hard to justify that I'm learning anything.  The "hard" sciences study the empirical facts of the world and discover new ones.  The humanities study information about human interaction, development, etc.  Hell, even business majors are learning how to run a business, sell a product or manipulate people.  What exactly is learned with an English degree, that can be extended out of the study itself?  The problem is, I don't know.  The only people who care to read what's written by literary critics are other literary critics, and the only people who care to read contemporary fiction are other contemporary fiction authors.  That, I would say, qualifies it as mental masturbation, and thus I'm not really learning anything, and thus I'm not doing anything worthwhile.

But then when I'm actually studying or writing I'm having fun doing it and do it decently.  You know what else I do decently and have fun with?  Dicking around, playing videogames.  Doing nothing of importance.  Hey, it's just like what I'm studying--nothing of importance.

I disagree to some extent that no one pays attention to contemporary fiction, though likely someone can barge in with statistics about the bulk of what's sold being stock thrillers and I wouldn't be very surprised. Spot on about literary critics, though I think they're still less worthless than rock critics. At any rate, calling the pursuit "nothing of importance" rankles me a bit, though the question of whether an English degree would actually help you make a living is admittedly a valid one.

Gotta say, though, if you're genuinely good at writing and enjoy doing it, I think you owe it to yourself to continue, whether it's for a degree or not. Partly to prevent bitching later in life about what you could've done, and partly because there are so many fucking horrible authors out there that we need every competent sonuvabitch we can get (assuming you are one. I don't know from personal experience, but I generally find a healthy amount of self-criticism to be a promising indicator).

[superaielman]

Since I KNOW you read this topic you filthy actor: Go vote in the DL and NR Strago. *Cracks whip* It's been months since I've abused you into voting.

No. Ha!

Thesis is due in two weeks, play goes up a week from Thursday. So it's crunch time. Thesis should be fine, though. Pretty much just need to write my introduction and conclusion and then spend some time editing the paper and making sure it flows well as a whole. Planning on handing it in next Friday so I can have fun for most of show weekend without it hanging over my head. Wheeeeeeeeeeeee.

You're funny, you think the abuse ever stops. *CRACKS WHIP*

That sounds awesome though.  You sound really ready to move on from college.

[Grefter]

And stop having the flocks of young impressionable freshmen to drool over?  Never.

Hi Strago, I have missed making fun of you.

[mia~]

Zzz new apartment and internet wiring is bad.

[superaielman]

Aww poor baby go vote you slacker

[Shale]

;_; My PS2 died. First console I've had crap out on me since the Genesis.

[Taishyr]

See El Cid, also note that I'm technically copping out of a pure English major by having my second major be Chinese and Japanese Language and Economics/maybe Religion if the Economics part turns out to take too long, but likely not. Either way, aiming for more of a linguistics major, figure "creative" writing is more of a translating assistance than "critical" so long as I remember to not act like Ezra Pound.

[Sierra]

Good policy there, Tai. Ezra Pound was a dick.

[Taishyr]

From what I can tell, the translation work wasn't too solid, either.

[PsySlaver]

Wow, it's been a while since I posted here.

Since I'm also a Psychology student:

In Brazil, building a career based on particular counselling is extremely difficult. Most of the successful psychologists I know went with Human Resources (which is my case). I do agree with ID that Psychology alone doesn't mean much -- you'll end up having to go through an MBA if you intend to grow professionally.

Health Psychology is also a good field around here - I'd suspect it's good in your countries as well.

[TranceHime]

Good policy there, Tai. Ezra Pound was a dick.

According to here, Ezra Pound's dick is called the antenna of the age. :(

[Shale]

....and new PS2 get. Slim model, so I can mod the thing without doing surgery, which is good, and it's silver, which is shiny. Woo.

[Luther Lansfeld]

So my great-aunt has found out she has colon cancer while on a trip with her grandchildren to Arizona, and then day before yesterday my grandmother (who just had breast cancer six months ago) is admitted into the hospital for blood clots in her lungs. I guess all the good luck health wise in the family was bound to catch up sooner or later but sheesh. I really hope my grandma's gonna be okay.

Also going to New Orleans tomorrow, so I won't be around much tonight due to packing/visiting with friends either. I'll be back Wednesday night.