What Do/Did You Want to be when you grow/grew up?
 

DD18 called me the other night in absolute tears. She doesn't know what she wants to "be" now. She was going to be a nutritionist but has now decided she hates science. Although she loves nutrition and would like to study it, it entails far too much science. So now, she is on the quest to figure out her true talents/skills; something that comes with maturity and learning about ones self. I know what her talents are and what she could do with them but I can only "suggest" things. It really is for her to figure it out; it's part of the process.

I started thinking about all the things I wanted to be when I "grew" up.

1. Mom of 100 kids.:eek: So glad I didn't do that.:p
2. Pediatrician - volunteered in the neonatal intensive care unit as a teen and loved it.
3. Teacher - An ok idea back in the 70s but no way would I do that now.
4. Nurse - did eventually go to school for this one.
5. Biomedical engineer - Not possible as I am terrible at math but great at creating/ideas.

I thought I would start a thread on about this to see what you all wanted to be when you "grew up." And in hindsight, how do you feel about those career choices now.

DD does not have to make up her mind now!! She is young. A writer I was sure, majored in English awhile, loved Psych. majored in that, knew I'd never find a job in that with a BA . Did various things, was told over and over teaching was a dead end, but after being an assistant teacher with Emotionally disturbed it was all I wanted. Psych., English and ME!!! All in one. Went back at 27 to get certified, never had a problem getting a job ever. Tell DD it takes time sometimes, do what she really likes, work is a long time.

That is pretty much what I have been telling her - get the general ed classes out of the way, do something that you enjoy and have a passion for, the rest will follow in time. But, it all needs to come from inside her and she has to figure this out on her own as it is her decision. She'll get there.

That is an awesome career choice and very rewarding.:hug:

1. an archeologist -- I'm sure that had something to do with books that I read
2. a librarian-- Because I loved to read. And I still do. I just thought I could spend the whole day reading.
3. a spy -- Don't ask;)
4. a lawyer -- I loved studying law while in college, but I wasn't so sure about practicing it. So now I teach a law course.:D

Overall I have been happy in my career as a professor. It is great when you have a class that gets really excited about the material. I also enjoy working with graduate students on their research topics. And it provides a lot of flexibility in terms of scheduling. The downside is too many committee meetings, campus and departmental politics, and students who just come to college because it is the thing to do. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get a PhD in Political Science or English literature, but I decided on Political Science because I wanted to get a job. :rolleyes: There are about 500 English PhD's for every position.

If I could have another career, I would be independently wealthy and own a book store in Cape Cod. I even have a name for my store. It would be "Rock and Read":D

Trish -- The majority of students change their majors at least once. So you gave her good advice -- just take her gen ed requirements. One note of caution -- if she decides to major in education it may take her longer to complete her degree because they have very specific gen ed requirements. I did not declare my major until I was a senior!

Barb - A librarian would be cool. I love books and love to read. It is great you found a career that you really enjoy. That is the key to true success.

As for the spy . . . put the dang binoculars down girl! Do your neighbors know about this?:D

EDIT: Barb - It seems a lot of the majors have specific general ed classes. She had that trouble last semester. Instead of taking a general college level biology class she jumped in and took molecular and cellular biology.:eek: She thought she would kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Boy did she regret that decision. Oh the lessons she has to learn. LOL

Well, I did eventually do what I wanted to do and that was a graphic designer/artist. But as a teen I was so sure I wanted to be a truck driver. LOL All it took was one trip in an 18 wheeler to know that was NOT for me.

PS: I wish I had chosen a more sustainable career now that I am taking care of Jim though. Don't get me wrong, I love being an artist but it's a tough field to be in. Think starving artist. I wish I had gone into nursing or massage therapy. That is on my next to do list.

I always wanted to be some kind of writer, ever since I was little and found out you could make people feel a certain way with written words, or make then understand how YOU feel.

I entertained briefly the concept of being an attorney, but I got stuck on the idea of "what if I have to defend someone that I believe is guilty?"

I have also always loved the atmosphere of a hospital...didn't consider doctor (not smart enough) or nurse (not smart enough and don't deal well with body functions), but I always thought I would like to work in a hospital.

Truthfully, I always had a fantasy that I wouldn't have to work, but could stay home and be a mom, then a grandma. Life isn't usually like that.

This is a great idea for a thread, by the way. Can't wait to read the posts to come.:D

Like I mentioned on your "Grandpa" thread, you would be awesome at this.;)

Sandy - A truck driver?:eek: No way would I ever do that. I never even considered it. LOL

Did any of you have to take those military tests in high school? Well, I had the every military group (Navy, Marines, etc.) calling me after those tests trying to get me to sign up and follow my true calling - diesel engineer. LOL NOT!!! They would tell me how much someone like me, with my high marks on the test, was needed.

Although, I admit, I almost, at the age of 17, joined the Navy as I loved their uniforms.:rolleyes: :D They were just so crisp and I knew blue and white looked good on me so I wanted to be in that uniform. Not the best reason to join the military. lol

Barb,
A book store and a tea shoppe serving simple things like scones, etc. and customers drink/buy the best tea!! And A bookstore on one end. Cape Cod! What a house and garden I see in my dream!!!

I loved college. Worked in Polly Sci/Sociology Dept.(typing back when IBM Ball Selectrics were cutting edge)

I would love to be a Nurse; not an RN but a PN to have the knowledge and education and pride of accomplishment!

When I wanted to go to school I didn't have the money or time.

Now that I am retired and have a little more of both I am too old at 61 and I don't have that many working brain cells so I would never be able to finish.

I would encourage everyone to follow their dream before it's too late.

A nurse or an elementary school teacher. I was a candy-striper at the VA hospital and loved it. I also volunteered at a nursing home when I was a teenager. In sixth grade I was a tutor for reading for 2nd and 3rd graders. I loved that.

Like B2Y, I learned that I probably wouldn't do well as a nurse but in some other capacity of caring in the hospital.

I'm glad I didn't pursue the teaching route. Things are so different now than they were when I was in elementary school.

Ultimately, I got to do what I loved. I stayed home with each of my boys till they were old enough to go to preschool. By that time I was ready to get out of the house and so were they! :o

I think if I had not gotten married quite so young I would have taken a different route. Who knows? But I'm not complaining. :)

What?!?!?!????? You mean I have to grow up???? That is SO NOT FAIR!!! :hissyfit:

let's see, I wanted to be a vet when i was a kid, then in high school I decided I liked the idea of criminal psychology, then after a year of studying serial killers and bad guys, i decided that was not the life for me...

ended up 2 semesters away from my accounting degree, which I plan on finishing if I ever get my life back from this whole MS thing, even though accounting isn't really what I want to do anymore.

I have worked all kinds of places and I can tell you the two most rewarding jobs were the least paying. The first was volunteering with rescue squad and the other was working for the county helping train peple with mental disabilities to join the workforce, and have productive lives. It was a very rewarding job that paid minimum wage!

Tell DD to find something she loves that makes her happy and that is all that matters. Life is too short to be unhappy 40 hours a week.

You are never too old to go to school and learn. You could do this Janie! Take an online class. NAU has some awesome online programs.


I wanted to do this as well but things didn't work out that way. My mom always told us kids to get some sort of post secondary training/education as that way we always had something to fall back on. She was right on this one. I needed that as I never planned on being a single mom.;)

Of course, my mom always told me that I would do great as a home economics major.:eek: :confused: And she knew what I could do to a kitchen in a heartbeat. LOL As DBF tells me, he did not fall in love with me because of my cooking.;) The rest of home economics I do just fine in - just keep me out of the kitchen unless it is to clean.:D

Isn't this the truth. My volunteer positions were the best and most rewarding.

I did get out of health care and started to pursue a career in remodeling/design. I loved it and was trying to figure a way I could go back to school and get my interior design degree. Then, those bad words we all know around here, hit. My new career came to an abrupt end.:( At least for now.;)

I think I may be entering my 2nd chidhood. Let's see, in my 1st childhood, I wanted to be a Ballerina or stage actress. (My Mother took me to see a lot of Broadway shows :D)

This time, when I grow up, I want to be an Accountant, Wife, Mother, GrandMother.....OH wait.....I am..:rolleyes:

I never had the fantasy :), but it is what I ended up with... still waiting for the grandma phase though! :cool:

As a child, all I wanted to do was drive an 18-wheeler. My dad said he'd kick my butt from home to Sunday if I ever did that!! :D He let me "drive" his log truck a few times, but I don't think I could have done that full time.

I took one of those career/personality tests in college. The #1 career it suggested...Catholic Nun.:o I wasn't Catholic until after I got married! :D However, I did entertain the idea of training to become a youth minister in the Methodist church.

I majored in business and math education in college, but realized my senior year that teaching high school was not my calling. I thought of switching majors to electrical engineering, but that was going to require 2 more years. I got married instead and moved on to other things.

TKRIK ...I'd be no help to your daughter! I never did figure out what I wanted to do...I just went with where life led me.

When I was in high school, I wanted to teach. Then I decided I wanted to be a medical technologist. Didn't follow through on that...
After birthing 4 kids, I got a camera from DH for Christmas and got pretty good at that...took classes...didn't understand lighting ratios, so I decided there's no way I was going into photography...
Then I went back to community college to be a nurse...took anatomy and physiology & bio classes and loved them...but realized I don't like touching people:rolleyes:...so I got my associate's in English.
When my oldest was going to college I asked DH, can I go back and finish? Of course, being the angel he was (is) he said sure...so I majored in English with a writing emphasis...and I loved every minute of it.
I was in a project several years ago that in which I wrote a first draft of a novel in 11 months, 30 min. per day...and I surprised myself by finishing it. It's horrible, but I was so proud of my accomplishment. And my poetry was well-liked by my professors in school.

I worked in a bookstore, worked as an instructional aide teaching below level 1st grade readers to get them up to grade level, and worked as a server in a breakfast/lunch restaurant until my symptoms got in the way of my doing a good job, so I had to quit.
Since then I've been my inlaws' driver and med/dr. overseer.

I actually started a blog last month, but have only written on it a couple of times. It's great as a creative outlet...gets all those thoughts spinning in my head down on "paper", if you will. Writing is my passion...my therapist has strongly suggested using it to get clarity and to add creativity to my life.

So tell your daughter that whatever she studies in college, her education will be a life-long pursuit...and as my dad told me, "The best teacher is experience...books don't teach you anything about life." He was one of the smartest undereducated people I ever knew.:)

I never knew what I wanted to be, when I was young, and silly. I was envious of others who displayed talents at things, like music, or cooking, or whatever....I just seemed so plain, and ordinary.

I was talked into a paramedic class, by a friend who didnt want to do it alone. I decided to keep him company, and LOVED it! I was hooked from there on out. it was medical stuff for me.

I still refuse to grow up. :cool:

Tricia, I graduated with a Master's degree in Political Science back in 1980 and the economy was even worse then it is right now. The only job I was offered was as an unpaid intern in Washington, D.C. I could not afford to move there and not get paid. So I had to move home. I was desperate so I went to the Navy recruiting office. After taking the tests, they wanted to send me to officer candidate school. They suggested flight training since I had 20/20 vision. :rolleyes: Instead I said I wanted to go into intelligence. They agreed. After reading the information on the school and thinking about my situation, I chickened out. Instead I worked in a gift wrapper at a jewelry store, at a greenhouse, as a swimming pool manager, and a substitute teacher. After a year and a half, I went back to school to work on my doctorate and was given my own class to teach. So that is how I ended up being a professor.

Neat thread, Trish. What did I want to be? I'll go chronologically:

I vaguely remember wanting to be a school bus driver because I loved my kindergarten bus driver, Al.

Julia made me want to be a chef, Harriet made me want to be a spy, Peggy made me want to be an Olympic figure skater, Laura made me want to be a "lady pioneer", and I sort of remember wanting to be a Hillbilly, a Brady, or a Partridge. Exit elementary school.

By junior high my interests took on an unbridled passion for being the next Karen Carpenter, a commercial baker, or sadly, a baby sitter. I had discovered that I wanted jobs that fit me, not that I could fit into.

With a bit more exposure to the world via the sophisticated society of high school, I finally embraced my secret love of the English language and devoted myself to it completely —when I wasn't doing other, more entertaining stuff.

I knew that my career would somehow involve writing and that it did. My appreciation for order and precision led me toward the technical writing field which I mingled with the marketing mix to land myself in marketing research. Then, there was that whole new layer of idiot savant analytical skills, no one warned me that I'd like it!

When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina. All pink with a pink tutu.

I'm not sure if I always wanted to be a nurse because my older sister wanted to be one or if it was all on my own. I idolized her, followed her every footsteps. So we dreamed of being nurses. Dad gave free reign of the garage and helped us make a man sized hinged wooden man that we would bandage, splint, pick berries and give as pills. We had a great time with Herman!

We are 18 months apart so she went off to college first. You have to understand here that my Dad was a strict Southern Baptist preacher so going off to college is quite a revealing experience! So she found out that she was terrible at nursing and swiched her minor to education. Her major continued to be men!

So I just happened to come across a hospital based nursing school one day at a careeer fair. It's a diploma program. You actually start in the hospital working with patients at about the second week where my sister at the end of her 1st year still wasn't in the hospital. Anyway I loved it, got so so grades but thrived after graduation. I was an RN for 27 years until MS said it was finally time to quit. With health care like it is today I don't know if I could reccomend nursing to anyone now.

I would still be working there now if not for my MS but God had differeint plans for me. I am now chief cook and bottle washer at home and medical referal for all my family. My Mom, MIL and sister have many heath problems that I would problby have a nervous breakdown if I were trying to work and handle all the other problems.

Maybe some kind of home economics course could get her into nutrition?

What a fun thread, Tricia!

Back in the bad old days, I remember thinking my only choices were either a nurse or a teacher. (That's what all the girls in 5th grade wanted to be!) I knew I didn't want to be a nurse, so I figured I might become a teacher.

But I was lousy at college. I didn't have any self-discipline and wasted my parents' money.

I could type, so I spent my first few years as a clerk typist, put my DH thru electrical school, then started having babies. Didn't go back to work for 18 years! But I taught piano lessons in my home during that time.

So I guess I got to be a teacher after all! But I gave it up when I re-entered the work force 17 years ago (wow! how can THAT be? :confused:)

If I had it to do over, I'd go into advertising. But nobody told me that was an option waaaay back when I was a sweet young thang.

I wanted to be a lot of things.

I wanted to be a firefighter (because my favorite show when I was five years old was Emergency!) I've never outgrown my love for fire engines...or firefighters :D I was discouraged from doing so because I'm a girl, and apparently that was something that girls couldnt do yet when I hit my teens.

Wanted to be a teacher. Now, I think I'd have to commit myself if I had become a teacher. No. way. in. hell. would. I. do. that. now.

wanted to be an astronaut...still kind of do, but I'm pretty sure I'd flunk the training in the Vomit Comet.

Wanted to drive an 18 wheeler. (another tv related career...used to love the tv show BJ and the Bear)

One job that I actually started the training for was sign language interpreter. I dropped out of the classes when I got mononucleosis in 1996 and didnt go back. (took a year for me to recover from the mono, and then started getting the weird vertigo problems soon after that)

Other job that I started the training for and have been trying to get back to ever since the MS crap started up was medical transcription. Everytime I make plans to start finishing the classes, I get a really annoying exacerbation. (so far, two vision problems, a leg that was so numb that I was afraid to leave the house because of it) and now I'm just scared to make plans again.

Aside from doing the medical transcription if I can ever get back to finish the training for that, I would LOVE to be a librarian. I love books. (yes, I have two Kindles, but I still love books...love going to the library still)

I am so surprised to read about so many women who wanted to be truck drivers!

I worked for years in the transportation industry (not driving......just sitting behind a desk) but I was always a little scared of those big rigs. I'd see the guys trying to back into a dock space and wonder how on earth anyone could control one of those monster trucks.

We had lots of husband/wife teams, though. And every once in a while a woman driver would show up.

Tricia......you couldn't find a "Big Rig Barbie"? :D

A Nurse and only a Nurse
 

Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be a Nurse. I have no idea why, it is something I have always wanted.

I was fortunate to attend a hospital based diploma program which gave me an unmatched foundation of nursing principles & practice.
My school resembled being in a convent. We had a 10pm curfew our first year, 11pm the second and midnight our third. The class before me actually had 'mandatory study' every evening for one hour.

There were 3 classes of 25 girls each and we lived in the "Nurses Home" , had our classes there and were actually on the hospital grounds. In the class after mine they finally admitted "men":eek: and I did meet my DH there!! We had to keep our dating a secret or we both would have been expelled!!

I have never regretted my choice of nursing. I was able to take years off to follow DH around in the Air force and raise 3 beautiful children. I really miss it now that I can't work anymore!

Risby my Diploma program was also on hospital grounds. The class before mine got some rules changed. Very early curfew, only go home on weekends if your grades were high enough. Could not be married. Our classes were held in the basement of our 'dorm'. We had a new and old part. In the old part there were two community johns to about 8 students apiece. I was lucky to never have to live over there. Oh, you couldn't live off campus if you were a freshman. But it was wonderful to have the kind of program we had. I don't know if there are even any diplaoma programs left.

Dodyie
Our classes were in the basement also!! We were lucky as we all had our own room with communal bathrooms. Our dorm closed on weekends,the state didn't want to pay a 'Housemother" so we had to go home. Like you, no one could be married! At times I wondered if I was in nursing school or a convent??

I doubt there are any diploma programs left these days. It was tough 36 months straight thru with only 2 weeks off each year....boy the hospital was horribly hot during July & August....but looking back I appreciate all the actual nursing theory and skills I was taught. Served me very well while actually working.

My therapist & I were discussing things the other day, and she said something along these lines: "When we're young, we have a plan, and think if I do this and this I will get to this place in my life. But life never happens like that. Things come up, and suddenly you are in a place in your life you never imagined, no matter how much you planned..."
I believe that most of us look at where our lives have taken us and wonder, "Hmm, how did I get here?" My DS32 studied to be a kindergarten teacher; after a few years, it wasn't enough for his brain. So what did he do? Went back and got a doctorate in mechanical engineering, no less...now he researches hydrogen fuel cells. From a kindergarten teacher to a researcher...

As I said, your education doesn't stop after 4 years of college...so many go back to school to begin a new journey...or they get into a field that gives them the knowledge on the job.
It's stilling all the chatter in the mind to hear the quiet whisper inside that knows your true passion that is the most difficult...

This reminds me of the saying "Life is what happens while we're making plans". It sure is true.......:rolleyes:

I haven't grown up yet - LOL! :D But let's list the things I wanted to do.

First, I wanted to be a nurse. I know a lot of first aid and stuff from the good old girl scouts. That came to a halt when I realized that someone who can't stand the sight of blood would be terrible at this. :D

Then I wanted to be a teacher like my dad. But public speaking makes me nervous. Which makes no sense at all since I was in drama club and performed in quite a few plays. :rolleyes: I almost auditioned to go to a performing arts school in NYC, but chickened out.

Then I wanted to be a writer. But that didn't quite work out at the time. Then I wanted to be an archeologist because I love history, but that went by the wayside. I eventually went the business route - and since I love math - became a finance major.

Now I'm an artist - never thought I'd end up doing that. :D

Look at all the cool things you all have done! It's just amazing.

Life leads us on so many paths. While in college I taught preschoolers during the school year and during the summers I worked as a waitress. I loved being a waitress. It was a fun job and I really did enjoy it.

Doydie & Risby - My mom when to nursing school in a similar program. The hospital was run by nuns and I think she either stayed at the convent or at the hospital. They don't have programs like that for RN's. My cousin went to the same school but got her degree as opposed to a diploma. As my mom says, those who have their degree have less practical experience that what she got. There is a lot to be said for that.

Some of the jobs I did when first starting out in the work world and before settling into my, better paid, Accounting Work.

All before I was 21....Most were at 50 cents per hr or less.;)

Worked in a downtown card shop.

.Elevator Operator in dept store ("Up Car" :D)

.Did Gift Wrap in a big Dept Store.

.Machine scored tests for local University.

.Policy Writer for Insurance Agency.

.Receptionist in a DT Bank.

Sally that is neat! I applied for a gift wrapper job once. It was X-mas time and I wanted some extra money so I was going to take on another job. The funny thing is, I hate to wrap gifts. hahaha

Other than babysitting and volunteering at the hospital, my 1st real paying job was at a dentists office. I was 16 and used to take the bus after school to work 2 or 3 days a week. I filed dental X-rays. I did not particularly like the job. So, I quit after the school year was over and just babysat the dentist's kids instead (5 boys :eek::D). LOL

Somebody else remembers...

I got this book my mom gave me from when I was growing up where you recorded, among other things, what you wanted to be when you grew up. I was pretty normal - a firefighter, astronaut, policeman, etc. I don't remember any of this.

My mom and dad wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer. I wanted to write science fiction. Well, 1980 came and I ended up in the army. I had a worthless degree.

When I got out of the service I asked a school what was the fastest engineering degree I could get. Turned out to be mechanical engineering, so that's what I became. It's been an interesting and varied career.

Tom

I use to hate that double sticky tape I had to use as a gift wrapper. Plus we had to make bows by hand. You should have seen my first few bows:p. However, I can still make them today.

Barb,
That is a TRUE talent...I am the WORST at making bows...it's the butt of jokes at Christmastime...

After Sea Hunt I wanted to be a diver and always wanted to drive the Big Rigs. I am a diver, lots of great wrecks and reefs. I drove Big Rig for years. Now I work in the Scuba industry part time. I did reach my goals.:) It has been a good life, still more to come.:D

Fiji in 22 days 2 hours!!