Okay, so I can't decide what to do with my future. The harder I try to figure things out, the worse it gets. I ask questions, but instead of being answered, they only multiply. They're like darn rabbits. Cute and innocent, but can cause havoc when let to their own means.
It's been suggested to me that I write down all my questions, then go and find the answers, that I shouldn't try to answer them all myself. That other people with other perspectives will share their knowledge (that I don't have yet).
Why don't I stay with biochemistry? I know I can do it. I know it would get me a job and there's some direction there. But do I really want to be stuck in a lab all day every day? What drew me to biochem in the first place?
I remember in 8th grade, the guidance counselor came to the advanced math class to talk to us about our choices of classes for high school. I remember her posing the question, "do you know what you want to do with your life," do you know what kind of career you want? Was it really expected of us in middle school to have our life decided?
So I jumped on the science band wagon (of course I jumped into band too!). It seemed the most respectable for what was expected of me as a "smart student" (in other words: nerd, geek).
Then I got here to college and the whole world is opened up (for some reason, it seemed larger here than it did in high school) (will it swallow me up?).
Ahhh! I'm halfway done with college (credit wise) and have no clue where I'm going!
Here's some lists of things I need to do in the near future and I need to consider.
-Go to the Career Center
---get info on what careers would allow me to travel the most
---what kinds of careers could I get with knowing several languages?
-Schedule yet another appointment with the French department
-Am I giving up on myself if I don't chose to pursue a career in the sciences?
-Could I get a General Studies degree to work for me?
-Am I going to be able to the Intensive French class?
-What will I take if I am not able to?
-Look into the Internal Studies minor
-Enjoy the Ann Arbor Art Fair
-Should I pursue art?
-Could I really make taking pictures a career?
-Can I study in Germany and France?
---How would I go about doing so?
-When does the Ann Arbor Fiber Guild start meeting in the fall?
-How can I take all the classes I hope to take--including (but not limited to!)
---Stats 350
---linguistics
---religion
---econ
---art history
---etc etc etc
-Could I study German and French at Michigan, then study in France and/or Germany for photography?
---Are there programs for such an endeavor?
-Would working at Disney get me towards the end goal?
---What is the end goal?
-Will I be able to do marching band?
---Should I work instead and go on the Max Kade trip?
-What would I do instead for spring break (if I am not in Florida)?
-Could I possibly dual-enroll at WCC in order to take photography?
---When would be the best time to do so? Summer?
-Could I go to Ireland to work next summer?
-Should I get a job in East Quad (depending on if I get the intensive French course)?
-Where else can I get a job on campus for work study?
-Should I worry about getting a second job?
-What other class should I take if I do get the intensive French class?
-Could/should I do a pep band instead of marching band this semester?
-I should get apart of a club... or should I? If so, what kind of campus club should I join?
-What kinds of classes can I take that are going to broaden my horizons without taking a ton of time (I don't have all my life to figure things out! I do have to live life, right? Not just spend my time figuring it out....)
-Who can I contact to help?
---Career Center
---academic advisers
---???
-Clean the apartment
-Where am I going to live for the month of August?
-How soon can I move into Thieme?
Well, I think that's a good start, even though small and short. Believe you me, there's much more to come!
Corey Anne
Originally posted on Facebook.
COMMENTS
Laura U.
Here's my opinion on some of the stuff you said:
I'd be really careful with photography. I'm not saying "Don't do it," but with more and more commercial digital cameras coming out stronger, better, faster, thinner, powerful, etc and computer programs like Photoshop, it's getting to the point where almost anyone can take a good picture if they make the effort.
Also, with all the extracuricular stuff you want to do, you're going to have to eventually make sacrifices. There are only 24 hours in a day, and unless you're like Stephanie Gonzales (lol), you're already going to have to use several of those hours to SLEEP. Try planning out different combinations of the extra stuff you want to do and imagine how you would make it work around classes and stuff. Be realistic about it, too. Some combinations may flat out NOT work.
You may have to ask yourself whether or not you want to have a life, too. And by "have a life," I mean have time to take a step back from everything you're involved with, class and extra, to REST and/or do what you want to do. Some people give that up and are okay with it, others...go insane. What do you think you would do?
July 17, 2008 at 8:52pm
Laura U.
On a special note: Marching band takes up a LOT of time. I was in it last year, so I know. Again, I'm not saying "Don't do it." Just because it didn't work out for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. It could become one of the best decisions in your life, who knows?
But from my experience, doing marching band during fall term meant I couldn't join any other club until winter term. A lot of clubs meet during marching band time, and you can't just miss practice or leave/show up late for anything. They only let you miss if someone in your family dies, you're directly involved in a wedding (and not just going), you have a job interview for your real life after college, or you have an exam. And when you miss, you have to take extra time to work off the minutes you were gone from practice or a performance. Working off time isn't really hard, but it's still TIME. (24 hours in a day hmm hmm...)
In marching band, it may seem that you're only practicing every day for an hour and a half, but it takes up MORE time than that. Arriving early, sectionals, being out practically ALL DAY on Saturdays for home games. You'll eventually wonder what happened to that one hour and a half as you start your assload of homework at 9pm (because you still have to eat dinner, you know). It's a huge commitment that spans half a year, and during that half a year you're going to have to learn how to juggle the rest of your college world so that you don't end up hurting your grade because you keep falling asleep while doing homework.
Again, I'm not trying to bash marching band AT ALL. It can be a very rewarding experience if you make it work out, and sometimes I still wish I did. But it takes a lot of effort to make that and everything else work, too, and no one will take pitty on you if you do bad in classes because of band. In the words of my best friend's dad, who also was in the MMB when he was at school eons ago, "You're not majoring in marching band!"
I hope all this helps.
July 17, 2008 at 9:17pm
Corey Anne Burbank
It sure does! I really do need other people's opinions, because I just seem to keep going in circles with mine.
And it does help to have people who have been apart of marching band remind me how much of a commitment it would be. Do I really have the time for it? Are there other alternatives? Now that I can't be on Mr. Brooks' window, do I need to do it? If I don't try out, will I always be wondering if I could have made it? Would I be giving up on myself?
And as far as photography goes, it's just one thing I like to do. But could I make a career out of it? In the end, I probably would end up being mediocre. Could I live with mediocracy? Probably not.
Yeah, to say the least, I have plenty of questions that need answered. And I'm going to listen to what everyone has to say and I'm not going to be offended.
:)
Corey Anne
July 18, 2008 at 5:27pm
Jimmy S.
I know that I haven't talked to you in 12 years (man that's a long time) & don't really know you, but I just have 1 question: What do you mean by "giving up on yourself"? You mentioned it more than once, & I'd be curious how you measure yourself as a person. That (to me) seems to be the crux in the internal debate you've shared here.
July 20, 2008 at 2:38pm
