Struggling with important life decisions. Please help.

[Sakuracherry]

Hello. I went back to school in August to get a BA. I moved to the states when I was 18 and got an AA from a local community college. I worked for a year after graduation and got married. As I recieved my green card this year, I decided to go back to school.

My husband is still in college, trying to fill the pre-med requirement. He works full-time and his employer pays for his school cost, which saves us about $30000/year. I've been working about 30 hours/week and taking 15 credits this semester. We make decent money and I'm thankful about that. I'm expecting my semester GPA to be somewhere between 3.5-3.7, so I didn't do too bad. I was afraid of getting bad grades thinking people would assume that I wanted to major in photography just because I wouldn't be able to handle harder classes. However, I feel sad every single day. I have a passion for photography and wanted be a photojournalist. After being pushed from my husband and his mother to major in pre-law, I rejected the half sholarship offer from a great art school and enrolled in the college I'm attending now.

Although I enjoy learning philosophy, political science and other subjects, I cannot be passionate about those courses. Some friends say that I'm old enough not to be dreaming. I know majoring in photography is the not the only way to be a photographer, so I've been trying to find ways to teach myself more photography stuff. I keep telling myself that my major in school will help me have a better understanding of American society. Therefore, I can be a better photojournalist. People around me don't understand why I'm still trying to pursue my dream. I know it's really hard to get a job, but am I not allowed to try before giving up?

I believe that most of you PSer are older than me. Is there any advice you can give me? How did you choose your career? Did your family support your decision?

 

[sonnyjane]

Oh my. The only thing I can say is that I wish you would have written this post BEFORE you turned down the scholarship!

All my life, I wanted to work with animals - I mean ALL my life - ever since I have memories. When I finally got to college, I realized that the jobs I wanted working with animals didn't pay very much and my parents worried about my potential job opportunities, so I changed majors and did something else, thinking that it would be better for me in the long run. I graduated college and worked in that field for 2 years before realizing that I made a HUGE mistake and I decided to go back to school for Biology which would enable me to do what I had wanted to do all along. It cost me a lot of money to go back to college and was an additional 2.5 years of school, but in the end, I graduated and got a job doing what I absolutely LOVE and I make decent money doing it. I could kick myself every day for not just following my heart the first time around instead of worrying about what others think.

I have many friends that are lawyers and you have to really, REALLY want to be a lawyer to get through law school with your sanity. It sounds like you don't have that passion, and therefore I would try to forget about impressing others and follow your dream.

 

[GemFever]

Sorry to hear you're feeling sad and unsatisfied in school. It is important to care about what you're studying.

However, that said, I wouldn't advise you to switch majors to photography right away. Maybe take a class or two in photography as your electives, and talk to people in the department, see what they advise you. Join a photography club. Go to exhibits, talk to people there. And most importantly, take tons of photos and develop a portforlio. Maybe try submitting photos to newspapers... In a word, try to explore your dream without switching majors yet. As awesome as it is to love what you're studying, it's also great to be able to get a job once you graduate.

But why pre-law? Do you want to go to law school? Maybe switch to computer science, now that's a useful major (Sorry, it's past 1am. Time for bed!)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

No way could I imagine law school unless one had a true love for that field. And in fact, I have known of many unhappy lawyers who no longer practice law! You cannot choose a career because someone else thinks it would be a good idea!

I have a niece majoring in photography now. I think the main challenge now is that there are so MANY people who have started photography businesses since digital cameras came about. But you know what? If your husband ends up with a high paying job, so what if you don't make a lot of money? As long as you can do what you love and don't have to have a high income, then do what you love!!! There are millions of unhappy people in their jobs...don't be one of them.

 

[Sakuracherry]

>sonnyjane
Thank you very much for writing a long post. I have a friend back home who just went back to school to become a vet. I am happy that you're doing what you like now. Maybe I shouldn't go to law school. It was really stupid of me to turn down the generous scholarship. Since the school is part of a large university, they offer a BA/BFA option.

>gemfever
I appreciate your advice. I've taken photography classes before and am actually taking one now. This class is supposed to be a higher level class, but many of my classmates don't even know how to use the camera. It is very disappointing. My work has been published in jazz magazines and fashions magazines back home. I'll keep working on building my portofolio and will try to get an internship. I've never thought of majoring in computer science, but maybe that's more practical.

>ds
I always love reading your comments! I hope my husband gets into a good medical school. There's a demand for immigration and corporate lawyers who speak my native language in NY. I believe it'd be easier to get a job in those fields compared to the art industry. I'll do my best to find something I can be passionate about.

 

[texaskj]

OK, I'm going to try to keep this short.
Sakura, I'm sitting in a newspaper right now, and I can honestly tell you getting a full-time job as a photojournalist is going to be very hard. Shooters are a dime a dozen right now and most places are using freelancers. I have a B.A. in journalism and have managed to hang on at my paper through about 15-17 rounds of layoffs the last 4.5 years.
That said, you are on the right track by taking a wide variety of classes. You don't have to give up on your dream, but you also have to be realistic. Don't waste the time and money on law if you don't like it. Find something else you do like.
Do you feel comfortable not making enough to feed, clothe and shelter yourself? My mom has never worked and told me she didn't want me to have to rely on a man for money. And I never have. And I never could, but everyone is different.
The biggest thing is to be honest with yourself and to hell with (almost) everyone else. I know too many people who wasted gobs of time, energy and money listening to others tell them what to do. Money really isn't everything, but you have to eat and pay the electric bill.

 

[distracts]

Don't even try law school if you're not 100% passionate about it. I know too many people who went because they thought it would be useful and ended up wasting several years of their lives and a lot of money (and another key: don't go to law school unless you have a full scholarship AND KEEP IT - which you have to have a certain GPA to do but they grade on a curve so only a certain % of students can get that GPA). So many of my friends have abandoned their "practical" law school plans to go follow their real dreams... or even just go back to whatever they were doing before they were in law school. And the job market for lawyers is not at all good right now - having a law degree now does not translate to a well-paying job the way it used to (if you didn't know this - please read about it. It's estimated that only 55% of law grads are actually employed full time at a law firm nine months after graduation, and that number could be higher than actual). So law school may actually be more of a long shot than photography. There's really no way to know this though, so I'd do the one you're passionate about. You can succeed or fail in any career - there are no true sure-shots - so why not try at the one you actually care about?

But you know what? If your husband ends up with a high paying job, so what if you don't make a lot of money? As long as you can do what you love and don't have to have a high income, then do what you love!!! There are millions of unhappy people in their jobs...don't be one of them.

Ditto this. If your husband is okay with it. My fiance always says he works to make money so that I can work to change the world, and that's our division of work labor. We both enjoy our chosen fields but he makes a lot more than I do. I could find jobs that are steadier and have better pay than what I love doing (political campaigns) but the priority for both of us is that this is a career that makes me really happy, that we feel is important, and that I'm darn good at. Photography is something where you could likely keep your current job or find a job at an art gallery or something and start off doing the photography on weekends and build your business up. Yes, it's not the most clear-cut career path, but if it's what you want to do? Go for it.

 

[JulieN]

Pre-law and you don't even want to go? Don't do it. No point in going into that much debt to either drop out, never practice, or end up quitting a few years later.

 

[rainwood]

There are always two schools of thought on questions like yours. One is the "follow your dreams, go for it" and those opinions usually outnumber the other school of thought which is to look carefully at your dream and see whether it's feasible or practical before you commit a lot of time and money to following it.

In your situation, I recommend that you take a very hard look at your dream before you follow it. As texaskj said, photojournalism is a dying occupation because print journalism is struggling so much these days. Lots more supply than there is demand, and these are people with experience, so your chances of making a living at being a photojournalist are slim. If you're okay with that and want to pursue it to the exclusion of other occupations, then be ready for the high risk of failure and the need to make a living doing something else anyway.

That said, going to law school isn't the only alternative and it doesn't sound like the right choice for you. Law school is expensive because you have to pay for 3 more years after you get your bachelor's degree. And, again, there's more supply than demand so jobs can be hard to come by in the legal field (although the odds aren't as bad as photojournalism). Plus, your chances of being successful in the law decrease if you don't enjoy it, and it sounds like you have no interest in it whatsoever.

I'd recommend you cast your net a little wider. Photojournalism and the law are not the only possible careers out there.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am in the "follow your dreams" camp. Life is short, too short to not have a career you are passionate about.

 

[justginger]

Do NOT do law school if you don't want to be a lawyer! One of my best friends is a Vanderbilt-created lawyer who has been miserable since Day One. He's brilliant and dedicated, and always wanted to be a lawyer. But it's exhausting, stressful, and full of belittling aholes. When he and his wife came down for our wedding last year, I casually mentioned that the plane ride is terrible, right? (It is, it's 35ish hours of traveling!) He looked at me and said, "It was so much better than being at work. I'd take that trip back to back to back if it meant not going to work." That was April 2011. He's still doing the same stuff, still as miserable. His wife told me that he's going back to school next year to try to go down the path to becoming a professor because she's concerned he might get to the end of his rope and throw himself off a building if he has to keep doing the lawyer thing for much longer.

So, no, never go into an occupation that demanding unless it is something you really, really want to do.

What about other types of photography, ones that can potentially keep you very busy? Wedding photography, pet photography, boudoir photography. There are niche markets that once you get established you can become very, very popular and well paid.

Good luck. Remember: you only get once chance. Make sure you're doing what makes you happy, at least to some degree. Not everyone can have a DREAM job, but the end goal is to happy enough. Only you can decide what satisfies that.

 

[rosetta]

Don't go to law school if you're even the slightest bit doubtful.

 

[VapidLapid]

There are no mistakes. Everything you learn will inform your work and your sensibility. When I started art school I was intending to be a sculpture major. After two years learning not much of anything I changed my major to philosophy. I felt that art was about ideas and it was better to have the background in thought, than in outwitting pretentious, drunken dimwits. Then after two years of that when I realized a philosophy major would doom me to a phd track and tweed jackets with elbow patches, and I am allergic to wool, I changed my major back to art. In the end I majored in photography. You can do the pre law major and take photo classes for your electives. Then go to grad school for photography.

 

[GemFever]

Great advice has been given, especially regarding the pre-law part.

But on the subject of switching to a photography major... It just seems to me that nowadays, if you want to be a successful photographer, you don't necessarily need to go to college for it and pay tons of money for a degree. College costs so much in the US that you really have to invest wisely in your education. And as you said yourself, in the advanced class you took some students barely knew how to use a camera. Is that how you want to spend your time and money? I've taken some photography classes myself, though not in college but through the Smithsonian here in DC, and then a private teacher also in DC. The private teacher was actually the best because he could take time to really address my questions and talk about things that interested me (say, composition as opposed to shutter speed). Anyway, before I ramble too much -- I'd say you should get a job with a photography studio to really learn the business. For example, a wedding photography studio as justginger mentioned, those make money. Also, you could submit your work for photography competitions, there are tons of them out there (google helps).

And if you do decide to go to school for photography or arts, maybe re-apply to a really good art school and get that scholarship or half-scholarship.

Good luck! Don't despair, just go out and shoot

 

[Sakuracherry]

>texaskj
Thank you very much for your advice. I know it's very difficult to get a job in the field. I'll try to find something that I like. My husband has been telling me to quit my work (I'm a waitress now) and concentrate on school, but I don't feel comfortable doing that. While many people think waiting tables is not a real job, I take my job seriously and try to provice best for customers. I got a great position in April and I don't want to quit working until I'm done with my BA. My husband and I probably won't have to take loans to pay for my grad school. I'll go crazy if I can't make any money in the future.

>distracts
My brother-in-law is a lawyer and he's still paying back his student loans. Your fiancé seems like a wonderful person. While my husband is ok with me not working while I'm in school, he definitely wants me to have a career that pays me well. It's true that you can succeed or fail in any field. I have to think about that again. Thank you for your advice.

>Julie
That's true. It's ok for now, but I shouldn't go to law school and waste money. Thank you.

>rainwood
I need to find a happy medium, maybe. I was always dead set on following my dream. When my husband gave am a no-go, I had to think about my future and couldn't really think about anything else. I don't know if I'm ok with risking my chance of being able to get a job after graduation. I studied a little bit and took the LSAT sample tests and did surprisingly good. That's why he decided to make me major in pre-law. I cannot be passionate about law though. Thank you for your advice.

 

[Sakuracherry]

>Tacori
That's true. I can't wast my life trying to do something I don't even like. No law school for me I guess. Thank you.

>ginger
Thank you for your advice. My brother-in-law is a lawyer and he works long hours. He was a DA before and loved it, but didn't make enough money to support his family and pay back his student loans. Now he's a corporate lawyer and does not really enjoy his job. I know there are other fields in the photography industry, but I don't find them interesting. This is life and I need to compromise. I'll try to find something else that I like.

>rosetta
Thank you. I probably won't.

>Vapid
May I ask what you do for a living now? That's true, I can graduate with a degree in pre-law and apply to grad school for MFA if I really want to do that. Thank you.

>Gemfever
Thank you again for responding. I can try to take classes at B&H or museums to learn more. The PS community has been real warm and nice to me and I appreciate everyone's advice.

 

[Sakuracherry]

Based on everyone's advice, I came up with a few options.

1. Just graduate with a degree in pre-law because I get to study many subjects and that will help me in the future. I'll be done in a year and a half and will probably have some money in my bank account to pay for grad school. Maybe I'll go to grad school for photography or a different subject.

2. Reapply to the art school I once was accepted. They have a BA/BFA option within the university. I'll have to study hard, but I'll get to study 2 subjects. I'll be done in 3 years. This school is expensive, but maybe I'll get a scholarship again.

3. Change major in my school. If I major in any field in social science, I'll be done in a year and a half. If I major in something other than social science, I'll be done in 3 years. Money is not a problem here. My school is known for architecture, engineering and pre-med, but there are many majors out there. I won't major in art here because of the poor facility.

4. Make my own major. There's a great program within the university that my college is part of. You pick a mentor and create your own major with her/him. I get to take advantage of graduate school classes and take classes at any college within the university. I'll be done in two years. I have a friend who studied photography and writing in this program. She was going to go to grad school for journalism, but got a permanent position as a photographer at a newspaper.

 

[VRBeauty]

Just a thought -

Being a lawyer doesn't mean that you have to work in a law firm. I've worked with lawyers working in neighborhood legal assistance, as lobbyists, and in the pubic sector. I work for an environmental protection agency and we have lots of lawyers. Speaking not as a lawyer but as one who works with lawyers, laws and legal decisions - you do have to like the reasoning and puzzling through a problem, and defending your positions, be able to pay attention to detail, and be willing to put up with a lot of ennui and combing through briefs and opinions and such.

 

[mimB]

I have a friend with a BFA from Corcoran, and he has been struggling with finding steady photography work since he graduated. He has been getting a gig here and there; at one point he applied for a position at a newspaper, but was outbid by a photographer with Associated Press experience. (He does claim that when clients choose between photographers, that the photographer's experience tends to trump his/her skill and output quality). In the end, he has decided to really stake it all on starting his own photography business and putting himself out there (from what I understand, a lot of his time goes to making potential clients aware than he exists and is available).
I can tell that it's been tough for him and it's not clear yet how well it'll work out. He really loves photography however, and has not really considered doing anything else, even taking delivery jobs just to get the starting funds for his business.

This friend recently told me that he wishes he had gotten a degree in graphic design, because the demand is currently growing in that area and his classmates with degrees in graphic design have had no trouble getting work. (The reasoning was: all businesses need a website, and now users will tend to choose the websites that look good).
But knowing him, he would probably still use the salary from a graphic design job to be able to continue doing photography.

I also want to stress how important it is to enjoy having a job that you enjoy. You will be spending at least 40 hours a week on it, and if your job just makes you miserable, no amount of money can make up for that. Misery at work not only results in poor productivity and a crash in self worth, but also negatively impacts all other areas of your life.

 

[mimB]

As for studying something for the sake potential earning potential.

I graduated from the business school at University of Maryland with a Finance and Information Systems degree. I lived at home, and my parents paid for my education, so I have no student loans. I now work at a regulatory agency as a Associate Software Developer - a place that is deeply involved with the financial industry and has a large technology department - so by all means, should offer plenty of growth for the things I learned as an undergraduate.
Overall, sounds like I have a solid start at a career, right?

Going with that degree just because it seemed to promise work that paid alright from the start was one of my more thoughtless decisions.
I talk to my friends, many of which spent 5, 6 years getting degrees they were interested in, and I envy their bravery to have pursued what they enjoyed. Because they like what they do, they feel purpose, they are motivated to improve, they feel like they are putting their efforts into changing the world (while to an outsider, their day job looks like someone sitting in a lab without windows, looking at testtubes and graphs while getting paid very little).
I, on the other hand, barely find motivation to do even the most mundane tasks of my work. I would rather be doing something else for most of the 8 hours of every day I spend at work - which means that I procrastinate, my productivity sucks, I feel useless and powerless and unreliable. And, of course, the worse I do, the less likely I am to be promoted to more interesting activities within my work place.

One thing I think people forget about is that doing work that makes you unhappy is a burden. It drains energy, and hopefulness, and focus. Spending the rest of one's day to analyze how to get oneself out of the unhappy situation - is almost impossible! Change requires space to gather will. The more packed your are with activities that you don't enjoy, the less time and strength you'll have to extract yourself onto a better path.

 

[mimB]

....

>rainwood
I need to find a happy medium, maybe. I was always dead set on following my dream. When my husband gave am a no-go, I had to think about my future and couldn't really think about anything else. I don't know if I'm ok with risking my chance of being able to get a job after graduation. I studied a little bit and took the LSAT sample tests and did surprisingly good. That's why he decided to make me major in pre-law. I cannot be passionate about law though. Thank you for your advice.

I'm not sure you meant it this way, but the way you stated it sounds like your husband gets the final word on your future - it's your future, and you should make the final decision on your choices.
I believe it is good practice to hear the advice of those who have your best interests at heart and who you choose to spend your life with; however, they are incapable of knowing what is right for you. Only you can possibly know yourself well enough to know your mind.
Furthermore, even if the people giving you advice are experienced, they are NOT the ones who'll have to follow through and take the consequences of your decisions.
In addition, they probably do not realize what an influence they are, and how much faith you put into their experience and opinions. If they are anything like my mom, they might even bully you to impose their advice, but will continue thinking that you are making fully independent decisions, and will expect you to be the only one responsible if your decision leads to challenges in your life.

(At this point, I'm not sure how much I am projecting, but your phrasing makes me want to cry for you - you have a dream, and how dare anyone stomp on your dream!)

Basically, it is a bitch when your family is unsupportive. And, I think it actually counts as emotional abuse, when people you love put sticks in your wheels, and tell you that you can't succeed in something you love.
*rant over*


Ooh, final blurb: I think you're awesome for realizing this about yourself - that you don't like pre-law, that you might be making a choice that's unfavorable to yourself. You're fantastic for this! I really really WISH for you to find your niche, that work that'll make you happy.

 

[Sakuracherry]

>VRBeauty,
Thank you for pointing that out. I do not want to be a corporate lawyer, but I have a strong interest in civil and human rights. I can't say for sure, but studying law wouldn't hurt.

>mimB
Thank you for writing such long posts. I know you cannot always get what you want. A delivery guy at my old job worked so hard and kept sending money to his daughter in Malaysia. He kept telling me to study hard and get a good job. I still remember when his daughter got into medical school and he couldn't stop crying. My parents never had a job they enjoyed due to the lack of college education. Even after my father died of cancer, my mother send me to an expensive private school for great education. Now here I am in another country, getting a college degree. I can't thank my parents enough for sacrificing everything for me. What I want to say, is I respect every single person who works hard. I think every single job is important. It'd be great if you could a get a job you love, but life is nor fair. I keep asking myself if I should just be happy with any job I can get. I can always enjoy photography as one of my hobbies. I was reading Aristotle's work the other day and that made me question what happiness means to me and how I can get that. I believe some human beings feel true happiness when they use their abilities to make society better. I wonder how I can do that.

Oh, my husband loves me and he always wants me to have the best things. He just thinks I won't get anything from learning photography and will be miserable not being able to find a job after graduation.

 

[yssie]

I don't have years and years of experience, but... I couldn't imagine spending 8-11 hours a day doing something I didn't enjoy. It doesn't have to be something I want to spend every minute of every day doing - I don't think "following your dream" necessarily translates into literally turning a hobby into a profession - but I know that for me, personally, my work does play a part in how I define myself, and being miserable at work would spill over into everything else.

No advice Sakura - I'm sorry you find yourself in this position and I hope you and your DH can find a solution you're both happy with. My entire life was based on being a doctor - every class, every hobby - I realised just before actually committing to med school after undergrad that it really wasn't right for me. I couldn't see a career path that *felt* right or that felt worth tens of thousands in med school debt at minimum. Now I'm a programmer and I'm so, so grateful I took the chance.

Is graphic design something that interests you at all? I'd agree with mim that that seems a lot more "portable" than photography or photojournalism - it's a skill that a lot of different types of companies in a lot of fields would value so finding employment that furthers your career is less of a concern - especially if there would be opportunities to specialise in actual photography..?

 

[AmeliaG]

Don't go into pre-law. This may take a frank conversation with your DH but he may just want you to find something 'respectable' so he may not be disappointed that you don't want to do it.

It looks like you have a couple of passions - the arts and civil and human rights. I know an artist who does composite sketches to catch criminals. Photographing evidence to present at trials is another avenue you could pursue. It may be interesting to get a list of alumni at the fine arts school you wanted to attend and contact them to see what they're doing. It may give you ideas and you may be surprised.

 

[Alexiszoe]

I am so sorry you are going through this: it is a very difficult predicament! I was in a similar situation many years ago, and made my choice to go with my passion. However, as I got older my goals and priorities and dreams have shifted. Thankfully, my work experiences and my field allowed me to pursue other careers.

Going into law school if you are not passionate about it might not be a good idea for various reasons, as everyone has mentioned. That being said, I would say if photography is your passion, I would suggest you pursue it on the sidelines but have a backup plan ready (e.g a major in a field where it is far easier to find jobs) because like what all the other posters said, getting a job in this area is difficult: moreover you don't know if this will be your "forever" passion - priorities and dreams might shift and change over time.

 

[woofmama]

Here is an interesting career path :http://education-portal.com/articles/How_to_Become_a_Crime_Scene_Photographer.html

You would need an AA in Criminal Justice & a Photography degree. Not sure if you would consider it but it could marry your two potential careers into one. I have a friend who I went to grade school with who does this for the Chicago Police Dept. He testifies at trials for accident cases and homicides. I would think you have to have a strong stomach though.

 

[Haven]

I went to law school even though I was pretty certain it wasn't right for me.

I was working with actuaries in the corporate world after undergrad, and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I'm a gifted test taker (talk about a useless skill!) so I let my then-fiance convince me that I should just take the LSAT and see what happens. I did very well on the LSAT, and let then-fiance convince me to apply to law school, just to see . . . was accepted to some great schools, and offered a full ride from a second-tier school. I hated my job so I figured Why not? It won't cost me anything.

I knew on Day 1 of orientation that I wouldn't spend more than a semester in law school. It just wasn't for me. I told myself to stick it out until December 1st, at which point I would either commit to the full degree, or drop out. I dropped out. Then-fiance dumped me upon learning I dropped out. (He came crawling back a week later, but I had learned my lesson by then.)

This was nine years ago. Today I have a job I love, and I could not imagine living my life any other way.

I don't think of that time in law school as a mistake. It was an experience I needed to get to this wonderful place where I find myself today. After law school I took a semester to work and figure out what to do next. Then I went to grad school to become a high school teacher. I loved that, but it wasn't quite right. I had been teaching community college part-time while teaching high school full-time, and I realized teaching community college was the right fit for me. I quit my HS job, landed a FT CC position, and Bob's your uncle!

It took me eight years from the time I graduated college to the time I finally got *the* job for me. But you know what? I needed to make all those missteps in-between to get to where I am now. Some of the transitions were very scary and painful, but I can tell you this: Every time I made a major life change to pursue something that I thought would make me happier than what I was doing at the time, it worked out.

I don't think you need to know what, exactly, it is that you want to do instead of law school quite yet. All you need to know is what your very next step will be--maybe that's a photography course, or building a website to advertise your freelance photography services, or joining a photography club, or who-knows-what. Sometimes, the destination doesn't become visible until you are so close to it that it's just one more step away. And that's okay. Let your contentedness and excitement and passion about whatever it is that you're pursuing be your guide--if those things are present, you're taking the right steps.

You will get there, and one day you will look back and wonder how you ever got so lucky to end up wherever it is that you end up. Until then, keep on taking steps to get yourself closer to that destination. Good luck!

 

[webdiva]

It sounds like maybe you should continue with school but decide on a major. There are 1 million other things you do in this world other than photojournalist and lawyer. Start doing researching and do "informational interviews' with people in positions you're interested in. They can counsel you how they got their positions. What parts of photojournalism do you love? is it something that you can do in your spare time or part time while doing something else part time? Graphic design for advertising agencies pays extremely well - allowing people I know to work a couple days a week doing that to finance the other days they want to do something they love. The one feeds the other and vice versa. Good luck!

 

[Sakuracherry]

>Yssie
Great to hear from somebody close to my age. I agree that work plays an important role in one's life. I am happy to hear that you're happy for making the right move. Graphic design is not something that I'm really interested in, but it'd be nice to take some classes and have basic knowledge. Thank you.

>Amelia
There's a great chance that I'll graduate with a degree in pre-law, but probably I won't go to law school. What attracted me to the art school is that their job placement rate. I believe 80% of graduates are working in the area of their study which is pretty high for an art school. Who knows, even if I go there, I might end up being the other 20%. Thank you very much for your advice.

>Alexis
Thank you for your advice. I'll try to have a back up plan just in case I fail in the field of my choice. Maybe I'll have different interests in the future. I don't know yet.

>woofmama
That's a very interesting job. I enjoy reading the article. Thank you.

>Haven
I've always thought you are a strong independent woman from reading your posts. Thank you for sharing your story. Sometimes I feel too old to be still thinking about my future career, but you made me feel better. No matter where I go, I'll try to study hard and do my best. Hopefully I'll be happy one day.

>webdiva
Pre-law is not a bad major, I believe. I'll definitely look into other majors and fields. I'm hoping to find something I can be passionate about.

 

[Sakuracherry]

I feel stupid writing this after everyone was nice enough to take her time to help me, but let me say this.

I can't give up before even trying. I'm leaning toward the option 1 and the option 2 I posted above. You help me realize that it's important o have a back up plan and have a realistic expectation. I believe pre-law is not a bad major. Even if I decide not to go to law school, I will have an option to go to grad school for something else. Maybe it'll be stupid spending 3 more years in undergrad, but the dual degree program seems really attractive to me. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have a BA and a BFA both.