Monkey's Magical Treehouse of Awesomeness

[MonkeyGirl18]

The thing is, I never truly know if I'll love doing something until I start doing it. It's nearly impossible if you don't have the money to achieve that.

I love writing, but I already made the decision not to pursue a career with writing because I burn out on writing quickly and I don't want to end up hating it. I just have to find out what I would be good in, which is why I'm going to seek out some career counseling, where I can learn what I may be good in and get help in what I would be able to get a job in. I just need that kind of guidance because I'm pretty lost right now.

[I Shall Engrave]

I didn't read far back, but it looks like you can't decide on a major, Monkey. A lot of students in my college are going for a liberal arts major. That way you learn a variety of subjects so you can later decide what appeals to you. Worst case scenario, you change your major but with a better understanding of what you are interested in.

[galled]

You have to be realistic and understand that there is no such thing as loving something so much that you'll never find an aspect of it that you won't hate at some point. The trick focus the parts that you do love and accept that you have to put up with some of the parts that you don't like in order to do the parts that you do.

You say you love writing, but you went into journalism and found you don't like it. My guess is that you still love writing, but don't like journalism. Of course if it's just because it's hard (anything worth doing is hard--and hard is relative), then that's another issue.

Perhaps a better strategy is to pick a goal and then get the education/training that'll help you achieve that goal rather than select something based on whether you like an activity or not. Focus on what you want your life to be like in 10 or 20 years. For example, say you want to be the editor of a newspaper at that time. Well, you'd need a journalism degree, so you'd do everything that's required to do that. Even the parts that you may make you not like writing. In the grand scheme of things, the kind of writing that you hate probably is a very small part of it. Every job has many more aspects to it than the job title suggests. Hope that makes sense.

What you need to be successful in anything is a good work ethic (do your best), good attitude (keep things in perspective), and persistence (never give up). You just need to pick a direction/goal and do anything you need to do to get to that goal. Next thing you know, you'll be there!

As for being good in something, well, in my other post that's really secondary. Do something long enough, and you'll become good at it. As long as you're capable (no physical or mental issues), you can pretty much become good at anything and if you have the work ethic, attitude and are persistent. You may not be the best the world has ever seen, but how many can be like that? As long as you can do it well, you'll be fine. You just have to want to do it and power through the tough parts that you don't like. That's true for anything.

I Shall Engrave Long time! How's your summer going? Doing any music?

[I Shall Engrave]

galled: hey! I know, it's been so long. I am taking a summer accounting class, but I'll be done with that tomorrow after my final. As for music, I haven't had much time to play guitar lately. How have you been?

[MonkeyGirl18]

I Shall Engrave
That's my whole problem. I don't know what degree I want.

galled
Well, with Journalism, it's more than just the writing aspect of it, too. Journalists can't be scared to ask people questions, it's a highly communicative field. Though I've been interested in Journalism for a long time, it's at a point to where I realize that it's not for me. Like, I'm the quietest person you'll ever meet in real life. And unless I'm around you long enough to open up to, I'd keep to myself, I don't want to approach people and be very communicative.

I can't say I hate Journalism, I just don't think it's best suited for me. Not that I'm a bad writer or anything, my English professor said I was a good writer, unlike my dad, which I feel is a factor in my confusion. Like, what I mean is, he made fun of the fact that for a moment I couldn't word out directions to a dorm for my sister, mainly because I didn't know the street names because I didn't drive the first year and I wasn't from that town. I have a hard time wording things when under the pressure. That wouldn't be very good in Journalism. But sometimes he makes my confidence plummet. But I'm not going to blame it all on him. I start thinking about things, and doubts come to mind and there's a strong urge to change my major.
I'm keeping my Journalism classes this semester to help me to make sure I'm making the right decisions. People would say that I would want to go ahead and change my major, but I don't want to change my major before experiencing the actual journalism classes.

I would start doubting myself and then I get confused and stuff.

But I honestly don't see me getting a career in journalism anymore. Though I don't know how I picture myself in the future.

[galled]

Hey that's great that you're almost done and using your time efficiently! Accounting is something everyone should have knowledge in because money plays such a critical role in our lives.

Been good now that we've made the change to summer mode. Went to a memorial for my uncle this weekend, but otherwise, things have been going well. Hope you'll be here more often now that you'll have some time off.

[galled]

Confidence is something that everyone needs to develop. We live in a society, so you need to interact with people. How are you on the phone with strangers? How about email?

I've done many email interviews over the years and it's perfectly fine. In fact, many people prefer them to the face-to-face thing for many reason above the phobia of being in front of someone.

Well, my thought is if you want to see what journalism is all about, try to get on the school paper. Work on the school website, newsletters, etc.. There are tons of opportunities to write and use journalistic skills on campus. You could also volunteer at any of the charities, religious orgs, etc. out there who would welcome help. Think of them as internships. In the end you'll see what it's like to write on a schedule.

That is unless, you're talking about news journalism. That's something else, but still, you'll get the gist of it doing any of the above. The only difference is the news dictates the stories with that when you have more freedom with these other things. To learn to write, you need to write. To learn to be a journalist, you just need to write like a journalist. The thing is there are a million different types of writing that fall under the title journalist.

(FYI, I was a journalist for many years with hundreds of articles and columns in print, and later on the web. I didn't go to school for it, and writing--well at least words, I wrote music--was never anything I considered as being something I was good at. I mean I can communicate in writing, but I never thought I was exceptional nor did I think it was something that was easy for me.)

If you want to do it, then pursue it. Do the best you can and you'll do fine. Don't worry about what other people say. All that matters is if you can be flexible/skilled enough to adjust your work to get paid for it. Once you master that, then it's simply a matter of setting the goal of finding the kind of writing/subject matter that you like. You'll get a lot of rejections, but learn and improve. Write/get as much published as possible and that becomes your portfolio. That'll help you get more writing work. Simple process, but a lot of work. Up for the challenge?

[MonkeyGirl18]

On the phone with strangers.... I took forever to call my first roommate, who was a stranger at the time.... All because I was afraid.

I could be good at it, and I don't doubt the ability to. I had a blog that gained 75 followers on, though I probably have less because I just forgot to update it and all. But there's a feeling deep in my gut that says that I need to explore other options, to not just settle on journalism.

The thought of talking to people scares me, I feel like I wouldn't be good at the collecting of information.

I know I could write like a journalist, and I am confident that I can write like that, but my fears of people is the hugest factor in wanting to change majors.

Whether I change majors or not, I would still blog, to satisfy that part of myself, just like free-lance journalism, but I feel like I should do something else career-wise. I just feel like I should go to school for something else. I still have other interests and one of those is probably the best for me. I just have to discover that one thing.

[galled]

Having been in TV and movie production too (probably sounds like BS, but it's true), I can tell you that these industries are people oriented too. Perhaps more so because you deal with egos.

I think the best partial solution which will help with anything is getting more comfortable with people. Join some clubs and meet folks. Make mistakes, that's OK. That's how you learn.

Best of luck to you. We all want you to do well what ever you decide!

[I Shall Engrave]

Monkey: well like I said, you could take liberal arts. It isn't oriented towards any specific subject. Later you could decide on another major. Or you could find a job while you make up your mind. That will give you work experience and time to reflect on what you want to do.

galled: I agree. I think that if my career in web design doesn't work out I will return to college for an accounting major. Once I understand the topics, they're fun to do. Like a puzzle. I forget, are you a student? Or do you work?

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Monkeygirl - easiest solution is to write it down and follow your list.

If you are interviewing someone have a list of prepared questions to ask, if you can, go in prepared, doing research ahead so you can ask pertinent questions. The best journalist seem to have a list. Walter Cronkite had a list. Even Barbara Walters had a list and she could do retakes if needed!And they are thought pretty highly of.

[MonkeyGirl18]

Monkey: well like I said, you could take liberal arts. It isn't oriented towards any specific subject. Later you could decide on another major. Or you could find a job while you make up your mind. That will give you work experience and time to reflect on what you want to do.

I know there are people who are first declared undecided who takes gen ed classes until they decide, but 99% of my gen eds are done with. I would do liberal arts, but if I have the chance to get some counseling over choosing a major, I'd rather choose that. That would help give me some guidance while changing to liberal arts kinda has me going blindly through college until I decide on something. If I take a different variety of classes, it'll make it harder for me to choose if I find a variety of subjects interesting.

I like to have a plan, I don't want to take a bunch of classes until I decide on something. I don't want to have a bunch of useless classes. Not that I really know anything about the liberal arts degree, I don't have any intentions on changing to that temporarily. I'm just a person who likes sticking to a plan and if something goes wrong, I want to fix it to get myself back on track, which I'm trying to do.

Currently my plan is to go through this semester with the Journalism classes I have and get some career counseling and stuff, and throughout the semester and through winter break, I would think about it and take the action to change my major to whatever I decide or to stay with the major.

Lemon Cheesecake
I did go to a meeting for the school newspaper and got entirely intimidated. It might just be because I was around a lot of people I didn't know. I didn't go back because I didn't feel comfortable going back alone again. To respond to that what you said in a previous reply.

I could have questions, but still have a hard time trying to get the information down. And then all those thoughts in my head, worried about getting judged and thought of being stupid and stuff freaks me out. Especially growing up being called an idiot all the time for stupid little mistakes everyone makes. I just have a bad fear of messing up and being called stupid. That gets my anxiety up. Then when that happens, I don't want to be around anyone and just want to be left alone, and I wouldn't want to talk to people, just freeze up...

I started panicking when doing a speech in my communications class (a gen ed class everyone has to take). I started like stuttering, then forget what I was going to say, and then freeze up and just want to leave the room. I'm afraid of something like that ever happening again.

[Lemon Cheesecake]

getting back on track is always a good thing!

don't know if you ever get over being nervous doing speeches if you get intimidated naturally (most people are nervous), practice helps, index cards help, looking to the back of the room helps...

It is sad what a lasting, destructive, impact negative words can have and why it is important to encourage young minds. I was talking with someone today and she said when she was about 10 her Dad told her "you either need to lose weight or get bigger pants" it totally made her weight conscience, and not in a good way, for the rest of her life and she is in her 70's now. Most of us have similar baggage so remind yourself of that when you are feeling nervous, we are all in the same boat.

[MonkeyGirl18]

getting back on track is always a good thing!

don't know if you ever get over being nervous doing speeches if you get intimidated naturally (most people are nervous), practice helps, index cards help, looking to the back of the room helps...

It is sad what a lasting, destructive, impact negative words can have and why it is important to encourage young minds. I was talking with someone today and she said when she was about 10 her Dad told her "you either need to lose weight or get bigger pants" it totally made her weight conscience, and not in a good way, for the rest of her life and she is in her 70's now. Most of us have similar baggage so remind yourself of that when you are feeling nervous, we are all in the same boat.

My dad called me, and pardon my language, a dumbass for most of my life...
Then that effected how I interacted with kids in school, they teased and made fun of me all of elementary school. That's why I hated elementary school.

Then growing up and my parents argued constantly and all that negative emotions takes it's toll. That's why I'm scared of talking to people.

I do realize everyone gets nervous, but they don't start panicking and all choked up over a speech.

[galled]

You may never truly get over things, but you have a choice: You can either let it destroy your life or you can do your best to operate regardless. I've used the "baggage" in my life to give me the strength to overcome. For better or worse, I turned my hurt into anger and I used that get me through the rough spots. Use what you can to obtain what you need. One day you may look back and may find that without the bad parts of your life, you would be the success you are at that time.

You can do it. You can do anything if you want to work at it. What you're talking about is something that is very common and most people learn through hard work to get along in spite of it. There are many public figures (entertainers, actors and politicians) who were deathly afraid and self conscious at the start.