How close have you been to meeting and/or exceeding the career aspirations you had as a student?
What were your bright ideas and plans, and what did reality deal you?
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Career Opportunity
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Career Opportunity
Good question: Easily exceeded.
When I went to college I had no real idea of what I wanted to study. Floated through a few majors (civil engineering, poli sci, etc.). For the most part I had to work full time and do school at night. Two inspirational things led to the major of choice (Information Systems) and gave me the motivation to continue on at night school until I graduated ten years after the start. 1. I had a job on a production line. Production lines are necessary, but generally are tedious beyond belief. Also, physically challenging in a number of ways. And fairly regimented (something I do not handle all that well) because, you know, everyone has to work as a team. Used to go on breaks at the sound of a bell. On the way to the lunch room we had to pass though the engineering wing. Used to look in the offices. The number of times I saw guys sitting back with their feet on the desk reading a book or mag was astonishing. I thought to myself – I need a job like that. That is what motivated me to complete college. 2. Through the various day jobs I held down while doing the night school thing, I noticed that the only guys in the various offices sporting beards were in IS. That is what prompted me to change my major to IS. It all worked. I have not shaved my beard since 1982, I have a job where I can sit back with my feet on the desk reading books or magazines (or net surfing) for hours a day, and it has the bonuses of being relatively lucrative, mentally challenging and ever-changing. Couldn’t have asked for more (well, I could have, but that would be greedy). Last edited by bad hammy on Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
I was lucky. I wanted to be a mathematician ever since I was 5. Although I didn't know what it meant at the time. I just liked numbers. As I progressed through school I knew I wanted it even more as people kept saying "girls can't do math". I loved it in high school when math teachers would say "Aren't you boys ashamed that Cathie is the best student in class." Of course all this pushed me more and more into math. I never had to think about a major in college. I recently retired from teaching math at the University of Oregon for over 25 years. This term is my last part time term. I had a great job doing exactly what I planned and wanted to do.
Me too! In HS I was in THE math whiz. One college math class (Number Theory) disabused me of that notion in a big hurry! My only numbers today are track stats!!
then we need more bums! Squack, if you had had me as a teacher in school, you would have LOVED school and become some boring music theory professor at East Podunk University! What's the fun in that?! 8) Even *I* know school ain't it's all cracked up to be. 
aw shucks, thanx nut. i take back saying you were a fairly well preserved man in his mid 50's. like a mummy. i did have a few GREAT teachers who i loved and will never forget.
I wanted to be a twittering debutante since about age 4. There's been many sacrifices along the way, including a broken fingernail back in 1993.
I nearly gave up on the dream in 1995 after being kicked out of my own party. But I've dealt with all the adversities and grew into who I am today.
Re: Career Opportunity
From the time I saw my first copy of T&FN in the fall of my frosh year at Wazoo I wanted to work for T&FN. 5 years later when it looked as if I was about to go and run a sewage plant in Wenatchee, Washington (true story), the T&FN statistician job came open. I'd say I hit about 100% on the aspirations scale. (Makes up for my 27% in the chicks scale)
Complete failure. My only goal after college graduation was to never be gainfully employed full-time. I regret getting a job ever single day. Definitely not worth the return.
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