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Why Did You Choose Your Profession?

Started by xSilverPhinx, February 04, 2017, 01:58:05 PM

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Harmonie

Hm... Don't know if I can really post since I'm still a student. But it is really strange the way I ended up back in school this time around. The TC question of "Did you feel you had a choice?" just kind of made me have to respond.

I'm studying to be a musicologist (Study of Music, Music History). What got me interested? That could be a long story. I realized in probably my sophomore year of high school that I was really interested in history. Around the same time I really started getting into classical music. Oddly enough what really got me there was my interest in the instruments themselves. Back in high school I was already thoroughly interested in the history of woodwind instruments. I read books on this. Note: I don't read books on much of anything. Lol.

But it would take a long time for me to actually connect those dots. In my first-time college years I was determined to be a band director. I felt like I should be a teacher, teaching music, because it was something I struggled with and I felt like maybe I could help those students who were struggling. I also would have loved to have been a marching band director. I came from a HUGE marching band high school. I even had show ideas in my head...

But then 2012/2013 happened. Medical issues, commuting, working, going for that degree. It did me in. But before I dropped out and gave up on everything forever, I noticed my affinity toward music history that no other music student in the whole program seemed to have. They hated those classes, so much. And here I was, going back in my textbook and reading for fun the sections that would be covered in other semesters.

But I didn't put too much thought into actually making a degree out of this. For a large variety of personal reasons, I felt like I shouldn't go back ever.

The story of what happened beyond this point is personal. It's very strange. I really want to share it, but I'm afraid doing so could potentially out myself if any of those individuals somehow stumbled across this website. There's no way this story could be mistaken for anyone but me... One of the individuals in the story is extremely religious and I would be scared to see what would happen if she found out. I don't want to lose her.

But it is a very strange, amazing story. The very reason I wanted to respond to this topic, because it felt entirely like "fate", something straight out of fiction. If anyone wants to hear it, just tell me and I can PM it. I don't want to be too public with sharing it.

Icon Image by Cherubunny on Tumblr
"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony

Asmodean

My profession is fascinating and versatile. I chose it because it opened so many doors - some of which I was not even aware of, and one of which I stepped through. Never looked back.

Did I have choices? Yes, absolutely. I dabbled with project management for a while, then started studying cybernetics and systems engineering. I also did some work in retail, was a mediocre phone salesman and a generalist in the farming industry. I could have gone into law or journalism or tried my hand at full-time for-profit fiction writing. Or I could have gone into professional science. I think I may even have been good at it - very good, in fact. I had plenty of choices, each with its own ups and downs, it's own rewards and sacrifices to be made.

I did not choose the easiest or the most obvious of routes, took my time not choosing it, and I did take my punches for it. For instance, this year is the first one since "forever," where my combined assets exceed my combined loans. I'm thirty-fucking-two. But, and this is an important one, I am where I want to be and I'm heading roughly in the direction I want to be heading in.

Is my job what I imagined it would be when I embarked on the path of computer engineering? Not at all. Subjectively, I like this more than what I imagined myself doing. I have challenges and responsibilities and great colleagues and a lot of fun and a lot of frustration and working weekends and a sense of moving forward or, at least, of never standing still and it's... Great.

It's been a long, strange trip... And it still is.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Dragonia

Quote from: Harmonie on February 11, 2017, 02:43:25 AM
Hm... Don't know if I can really post since I'm still a student. But it is really strange the way I ended up back in school this time around. The TC question of "Did you feel you had a choice?" just kind of made me have to respond.

I'm studying to be a musicologist (Study of Music, Music History). What got me interested? That could be a long story. I realized in probably my sophomore year of high school that I was really interested in history. Around the same time I really started getting into classical music. Oddly enough what really got me there was my interest in the instruments themselves. Back in high school I was already thoroughly interested in the history of woodwind instruments. I read books on this. Note: I don't read books on much of anything. Lol.

But it would take a long time for me to actually connect those dots. In my first-time college years I was determined to be a band director. I felt like I should be a teacher, teaching music, because it was something I struggled with and I felt like maybe I could help those students who were struggling. I also would have loved to have been a marching band director. I came from a HUGE marching band high school. I even had show ideas in my head...
SO after you graduate, what kinds of careers will be open to you? Teaching? Research? Directing?
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Plato (?)

Harmonie

Quote from: Dragonia on February 11, 2017, 03:22:40 PM
Quote from: Harmonie on February 11, 2017, 02:43:25 AM
Hm... Don't know if I can really post since I'm still a student. But it is really strange the way I ended up back in school this time around. The TC question of "Did you feel you had a choice?" just kind of made me have to respond.

I'm studying to be a musicologist (Study of Music, Music History). What got me interested? That could be a long story. I realized in probably my sophomore year of high school that I was really interested in history. Around the same time I really started getting into classical music. Oddly enough what really got me there was my interest in the instruments themselves. Back in high school I was already thoroughly interested in the history of woodwind instruments. I read books on this. Note: I don't read books on much of anything. Lol.

But it would take a long time for me to actually connect those dots. In my first-time college years I was determined to be a band director. I felt like I should be a teacher, teaching music, because it was something I struggled with and I felt like maybe I could help those students who were struggling. I also would have loved to have been a marching band director. I came from a HUGE marching band high school. I even had show ideas in my head...
SO after you graduate, what kinds of careers will be open to you? Teaching? Research? Directing?

Probably teaching and researching. Teaching at a college or university is my goal.

Icon Image by Cherubunny on Tumblr
"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony