Will I be throwing my life away to major in music or writing?
November 10, 2015 2:48 PM Subscribe
I have been to around 6 different colleges and had at least 10 majors, been in school for 5 years now. I was thinking of giving up on trying to do a practical major and going for something I'm passionate for. Is this a bad idea?
When I was going to school in person the first few years, I'd fail out almost every semester due to depression and not showing up for class, studying or doing any homework. Now it's because I can't motivate myself to complete any assignments.
I did find it was possible to have both practicality and passion, but by then it was too late since Full Sail doesn't offer any majors I'm passionate about that also lead to a good paycheck. I don't want to go through the process of switching schools again, since I'm running out of financial aid soon and have already been to so many colleges, I don't know if I can be accepted anywhere else.
So if I switch it will either be to music or creative writing.
The thing is, I don't really want to be working retail at 50, have to freelance or not make that much money in general. The lifestyle I grew up with and the one I'd like to have requires me to make a lot of money. But with not being able to motivate myself in these classes in the majors I'm not that passionate about (At Full Sail, that would be Programming and then Graphic Design), I'm beginning to think I won't finish at all if I don't just say "fuck it" and major in a passion.
I've been here many times and everyone has advised me not to major in either of those things. I listened to them (especially since I agree), but since I'm still failing class every single month, I think maybe I'm just not the type of person that can do something that's practical but that I don't care about. My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's) and I'm still stuck finishing a Bachelor's. Please don't advise me not to complete college at all - it has been my dream since before Highschool and I don't want to give it up.
Steps I've tried so far: Talking to the school about everything, doing research about the various majors, asking friends etc. And everything says that if I don't want to risk being poor, I shouldn't major in either of those things.
If I don't go with music or writing, I'll switch back to programming. I actually did do the work in programming, but I changed because the stress was too much for me and I didn't want a lifetime of that high amount of stress. That and the fact that I was "meh" about it.
I'm scared if I try to pick another "practical" major I'll just be setting myself up for failure by being unable to motivate myself to finish the work day after day, leading to failing enough classes that they kick me out. If this happens I'll have to pay the school back what I owe them for the remainder of the semester, and that ridiculous amount of money will spell the end of my college dreams. I'm already on probation and skating on thin ice.
Have you been in this situation? What did you choose? What should I do? Is there any chance I could major in one of these things and not end up poor for the rest of my life?
When I was going to school in person the first few years, I'd fail out almost every semester due to depression and not showing up for class, studying or doing any homework. Now it's because I can't motivate myself to complete any assignments.
I did find it was possible to have both practicality and passion, but by then it was too late since Full Sail doesn't offer any majors I'm passionate about that also lead to a good paycheck. I don't want to go through the process of switching schools again, since I'm running out of financial aid soon and have already been to so many colleges, I don't know if I can be accepted anywhere else.
So if I switch it will either be to music or creative writing.
The thing is, I don't really want to be working retail at 50, have to freelance or not make that much money in general. The lifestyle I grew up with and the one I'd like to have requires me to make a lot of money. But with not being able to motivate myself in these classes in the majors I'm not that passionate about (At Full Sail, that would be Programming and then Graphic Design), I'm beginning to think I won't finish at all if I don't just say "fuck it" and major in a passion.
I've been here many times and everyone has advised me not to major in either of those things. I listened to them (especially since I agree), but since I'm still failing class every single month, I think maybe I'm just not the type of person that can do something that's practical but that I don't care about. My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's) and I'm still stuck finishing a Bachelor's. Please don't advise me not to complete college at all - it has been my dream since before Highschool and I don't want to give it up.
Steps I've tried so far: Talking to the school about everything, doing research about the various majors, asking friends etc. And everything says that if I don't want to risk being poor, I shouldn't major in either of those things.
If I don't go with music or writing, I'll switch back to programming. I actually did do the work in programming, but I changed because the stress was too much for me and I didn't want a lifetime of that high amount of stress. That and the fact that I was "meh" about it.
I'm scared if I try to pick another "practical" major I'll just be setting myself up for failure by being unable to motivate myself to finish the work day after day, leading to failing enough classes that they kick me out. If this happens I'll have to pay the school back what I owe them for the remainder of the semester, and that ridiculous amount of money will spell the end of my college dreams. I'm already on probation and skating on thin ice.
Have you been in this situation? What did you choose? What should I do? Is there any chance I could major in one of these things and not end up poor for the rest of my life?
Best answer: First, are you being actively treated for depression?
Second, do you already create a lot of music and/or writing? People who are able to make money at these things are absolutely driven to do them, and you don't mention doing either one. Not sure why majoring in them would change that, you certainly don't need to go to school to write or make music. What kind of job do you see yourself getting? Very few jobs require a degree specifically in music or writing except teaching.
I'm not trying to be harsh or crush your dreams, I just see a pattern here and I don't think that changing your major is going to break that pattern in the way that you think. I think you should pursue therapy and/or medication to treat your depression.
posted by desjardins at 2:57 PM on November 10, 2015 [16 favorites]
Second, do you already create a lot of music and/or writing? People who are able to make money at these things are absolutely driven to do them, and you don't mention doing either one. Not sure why majoring in them would change that, you certainly don't need to go to school to write or make music. What kind of job do you see yourself getting? Very few jobs require a degree specifically in music or writing except teaching.
I'm not trying to be harsh or crush your dreams, I just see a pattern here and I don't think that changing your major is going to break that pattern in the way that you think. I think you should pursue therapy and/or medication to treat your depression.
posted by desjardins at 2:57 PM on November 10, 2015 [16 favorites]
Picking a major is not picking a job. Figure out what you want to do, figure out what majors you would want to do, and find where the overlap is. Major in writing does not mean "being a writer" it can lead to being a writer or being an entrepreneur, or project manager, or roofer or lawyer or many different things. Hell, you can go to medical school with an undergrad degree in writing.
But...switching majors is unlikely to be a magical fix if you are struggling with depression or other problems that are making it difficult for you to work. It might make more sense for you to take a year off to get yourself in a better place and then continue your studies.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 2:59 PM on November 10, 2015
But...switching majors is unlikely to be a magical fix if you are struggling with depression or other problems that are making it difficult for you to work. It might make more sense for you to take a year off to get yourself in a better place and then continue your studies.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 2:59 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: Blast Hardcheese, no PhD program will take someone from a nationally accredited school.
posted by desjardins at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by desjardins at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2015
to clarify: IF you really think that majoring in music or writing will permit you to finish your degree, then that's what you should do. Because finishing the degree is 1) the only part of the equation actually under your control right now and 2) the thing that will allow you to do anything else at all.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:01 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
In general, for most jobs not requiring specialized degrees, it is more important to HAVE the BA than what you get it in. I majored in theology and went to law school. My sister majored in anthropology and does PR. A friend of mine majored in marketing and works for the post office. Do what you have to do to finish the BA, but realize that a college degree isn't job training and doesn't prepare you for any particular work. Music and creative writing majors often end up working in banks or non-profits or faceless Fortune 500s or retail -- not in music or writing. The key point to having a liberal arts major is having the degree, not what you majored in specifically.
We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese: "My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's)"
In the US, traditional universities tend to be regionally accredited; national accreditation is more for distance learning and for-profit universities.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:02 PM on November 10, 2015 [9 favorites]
We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese: "My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's)"
In the US, traditional universities tend to be regionally accredited; national accreditation is more for distance learning and for-profit universities.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:02 PM on November 10, 2015 [9 favorites]
oh jeez even cutting and pasting I managed to misread that sentence, my apologies!
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:02 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 3:02 PM on November 10, 2015
Response by poster: To try to clarify: Most PH.D programs want you to have a regionally accredited degree. Same with education programs. So my degree probably won't qualify for those.
I did do a lot of writing and music in the past, but the past couple years I haven't done anything with any hobbies at all. Writing I was naturally good at and didn't really need to "learn," I'd just do it. But nowadays the thought of writing anything feels so overwhelming. I feel like if I major in it, the structure will help me to not feel so overwhelmed. With music I just sucked at self-teaching. I couldn't grasp the song structure; people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
I am not currently being treated for depression; I was in the past, been to several therapists and several different medications, but none of that really seemed to help.
posted by Autumn at 3:03 PM on November 10, 2015
I did do a lot of writing and music in the past, but the past couple years I haven't done anything with any hobbies at all. Writing I was naturally good at and didn't really need to "learn," I'd just do it. But nowadays the thought of writing anything feels so overwhelming. I feel like if I major in it, the structure will help me to not feel so overwhelmed. With music I just sucked at self-teaching. I couldn't grasp the song structure; people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
I am not currently being treated for depression; I was in the past, been to several therapists and several different medications, but none of that really seemed to help.
posted by Autumn at 3:03 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: none of that really seemed to help.
Not being able to get this done is a symptom of your depression. Changing majors will not fix your depression. If your depression isn't under control, the only thing and best thing you can do to finish your degree is get your depression under control.
Also, though you say you've been to many universities, consider switching to a non-for-profit school or at the very least never taking any advice from the for-profit school. As far as they're concerned, there's nothing better than your signing up for courses again and failing or switching majors as three times a year. All that is to them is more money. Consider going somewhere that doesn't have an incentive to make you struggle.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [18 favorites]
Not being able to get this done is a symptom of your depression. Changing majors will not fix your depression. If your depression isn't under control, the only thing and best thing you can do to finish your degree is get your depression under control.
Also, though you say you've been to many universities, consider switching to a non-for-profit school or at the very least never taking any advice from the for-profit school. As far as they're concerned, there's nothing better than your signing up for courses again and failing or switching majors as three times a year. All that is to them is more money. Consider going somewhere that doesn't have an incentive to make you struggle.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [18 favorites]
Autumn: "I did do a lot of writing and music in the past, but the past couple years I haven't done anything with any hobbies at all. Writing I was naturally good at and didn't really need to "learn," I'd just do it. But nowadays the thought of writing anything feels so overwhelming. I feel like if I major in it, the structure will help me to not feel so overwhelmed. With music I just sucked at self-teaching. I couldn't grasp the song structure; people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
"
Okay, honestly, this seems like a bit of a catastrophe waiting to happen. Upper-division college courses are a bad, bad place to start systematizing something you're just "naturally good" at. You struggle with high-pressure situations; there is very little as high-pressure as taking something you have a natural talent for and pride yourself in, and putting yourself into 16-week semesters where you're going to get graded on it. You might be happier in something writing-adjacent like mass communications or journalism or English or writing-intensive history or something like that, where you will have a lot of structure and a lot of practice writing, but it won't feel like they're judging YOU when they judge your written work.
What CLASSES have you enjoyed? That might be a better place to start.
I am the biggest advocate in the world for majoring in what you're passionate about -- I have two majors, both "useless," plus a "useless" masters (and a useful professional degree) -- but I agree that that doesn't seem to be the problem here: depression seems to be the big problem.
Those are EXPENSIVE credit hours at Full Sail -- are you sure you can't return to a local community college or directional state university? Have you talked to their non-trad student department, or their counselors? They have a lot of experience with "re-entry" students.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:13 PM on November 10, 2015 [17 favorites]
"
Okay, honestly, this seems like a bit of a catastrophe waiting to happen. Upper-division college courses are a bad, bad place to start systematizing something you're just "naturally good" at. You struggle with high-pressure situations; there is very little as high-pressure as taking something you have a natural talent for and pride yourself in, and putting yourself into 16-week semesters where you're going to get graded on it. You might be happier in something writing-adjacent like mass communications or journalism or English or writing-intensive history or something like that, where you will have a lot of structure and a lot of practice writing, but it won't feel like they're judging YOU when they judge your written work.
What CLASSES have you enjoyed? That might be a better place to start.
I am the biggest advocate in the world for majoring in what you're passionate about -- I have two majors, both "useless," plus a "useless" masters (and a useful professional degree) -- but I agree that that doesn't seem to be the problem here: depression seems to be the big problem.
Those are EXPENSIVE credit hours at Full Sail -- are you sure you can't return to a local community college or directional state university? Have you talked to their non-trad student department, or their counselors? They have a lot of experience with "re-entry" students.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:13 PM on November 10, 2015 [17 favorites]
I don't think majoring in creative writing is that bad. If you can right well, creative or otherwise, there are a lot of jobs you can do. Writing is the foundation of a lot of stuff (we're writing right now!) so any sort of writing degree has an upside. However, if you think after you get that degree you're going to get rich by writing short stories or you're instantly going to become a successful novelist, think again. But if you have a degree that says, "I know how to write!" and you're willing to explore practical careers, it's not horrible.
I always thought the key to finding a job after college is interning anyway. As long as your major at least makes some sense, focus on interning at places that interest you, give you: relevant experience, good recommendations, a network to reach out to. Don't put of interning until your last semester either. Start as early as you can.
Don't major in music though. That does seem like a pretty bad idea.
posted by AppleTurnover at 3:14 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I always thought the key to finding a job after college is interning anyway. As long as your major at least makes some sense, focus on interning at places that interest you, give you: relevant experience, good recommendations, a network to reach out to. Don't put of interning until your last semester either. Start as early as you can.
Don't major in music though. That does seem like a pretty bad idea.
posted by AppleTurnover at 3:14 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Changing majors isn't going to fix your depression. Do that first.
And then get a business degree. Consider getting an Associate's degree from an affordable accredited community college as a middle step, just to lock in your required credits at a low price. Just to get a concrete thing accomplished.
There will never be an art or music program that's going to fund your graduate work. It just doesn't happen. "Getting a PhD in something, anything" is not a reasonable goal unless you are independently wealthy. It's the sort of magical thinking/excuse to be disappointed by everything thing that depression does.
Get a business degree so that you are a) employable, b) able to manage your own business should you decide to do some form of art for a living. Otherwise you can combine a business degree with a CS discipline and be even more employable at something you have some interest in.
But this isn't even the conversation you're ready for. Change your major to "getting stable and healthy enough to go to school" for now.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:19 PM on November 10, 2015 [9 favorites]
And then get a business degree. Consider getting an Associate's degree from an affordable accredited community college as a middle step, just to lock in your required credits at a low price. Just to get a concrete thing accomplished.
There will never be an art or music program that's going to fund your graduate work. It just doesn't happen. "Getting a PhD in something, anything" is not a reasonable goal unless you are independently wealthy. It's the sort of magical thinking/excuse to be disappointed by everything thing that depression does.
Get a business degree so that you are a) employable, b) able to manage your own business should you decide to do some form of art for a living. Otherwise you can combine a business degree with a CS discipline and be even more employable at something you have some interest in.
But this isn't even the conversation you're ready for. Change your major to "getting stable and healthy enough to go to school" for now.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:19 PM on November 10, 2015 [9 favorites]
I think your goal should be to finish as fast as you can with whatever major you are closest to finishing. I think you're blaming your inability to settle/focus on your major or school when it's your depression that's screwing things up. To that end, get treatment for that now if you aren't already. Undergrad majors have nearly nothing to do with your post-school job, so getting a degree without spending any more money than you have to should be what you shoot for.
posted by cecic at 3:19 PM on November 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by cecic at 3:19 PM on November 10, 2015 [7 favorites]
I have a degree in engineering. I've been in engineering research, I've cooked, I'be done econmic modeling, and I'm a hellofa good stats programmer now. I haven'the played trombone or bass or trumpet or piano or guitar since college. If I had majored in music like I considered, I can guarantee I would still be playing music today.
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:20 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:20 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: Your plan sounds like the educational version of the geographical cure. Switching to a major that you're passionate about will probably help at first, but it won't prevent the depression/lack of motivation from taking hold again. Every major contains coursework that is boring or overwhelming, and passion isn't going to be the thing that carries you through.
You don't have to major in music to be a musician. You don't have to major in writing to become a writer. If anything, those professions value practical experience over education more heavily than most. Find ways to get involved in making music or writing-- it's unclear if you are on campus or not, but either way there are lots of opportunities you can take advantage of to build your skills in these areas. Most jobs don't care too much what your major was as long as you have a bachelor's, so major in whatever gets you closest to graduation the fastest.
posted by fox problems at 3:21 PM on November 10, 2015 [11 favorites]
You don't have to major in music to be a musician. You don't have to major in writing to become a writer. If anything, those professions value practical experience over education more heavily than most. Find ways to get involved in making music or writing-- it's unclear if you are on campus or not, but either way there are lots of opportunities you can take advantage of to build your skills in these areas. Most jobs don't care too much what your major was as long as you have a bachelor's, so major in whatever gets you closest to graduation the fastest.
posted by fox problems at 3:21 PM on November 10, 2015 [11 favorites]
I majored in music, for a bit. Everyone else in the program had a clear and very narrow focus; they wanted to work as musicians, while I had broader interests (humanities, social sciences) and frankly got bored with it after a while. It's not a bad choice for someone preparing for a career as a teacher or gigging musician (or a few other related careers) - though not sure this institution would give you the kind of grounding that would help? - but if you're not 100% into it, it might not be for you. (Also, people I know who work in music somehow or other are highly driven, focused, entrepreneurial, and great with people. Not hesitant, so much.)
Creative writing might be a bit better - you could at least approach a variety of subjects. But 2nd Eyebrows that lit or some other broad major might be less personally challenging.
Or, see if the credits you've already got (from this institution and others) can be sewn together into a generic BA in Individualized Studies, with a few more courses. (That is possible at some schools, usually those that actively recruit adult learners/returners. There is probably a way of arguing that at least some of the courses you've done so far hang together in a coherent way.)
2nd checking out possibilities at a community college or state university.
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:32 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Creative writing might be a bit better - you could at least approach a variety of subjects. But 2nd Eyebrows that lit or some other broad major might be less personally challenging.
Or, see if the credits you've already got (from this institution and others) can be sewn together into a generic BA in Individualized Studies, with a few more courses. (That is possible at some schools, usually those that actively recruit adult learners/returners. There is probably a way of arguing that at least some of the courses you've done so far hang together in a coherent way.)
2nd checking out possibilities at a community college or state university.
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:32 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Music, writing, programming? Everyone is totally missing the mark here - you need to go to a school that would be interested in helping you do a developed individualized major, or has the research focus and professors who would be willing to support interdisciplinary studies, or has an interdisciplinary major like this. You are a great fit for digital humanities, which seems all very clustered in graduate school. Look at HASTAC. Do not even bother trying to get through a disciplined, already built major, unless the school itself offers classes tailored to your interests in combining all the three within that major, or can have you working with professors who can get into that area.
As someone who does creative writing, but doesn't have a large output and majored as an English major, it was far more useful to be exposed to different interdisciplinary fields through my English professors, than the actual classes or writing itself. I just don't believe in the structure of higher education, except as gatekeepers to intelligent students who absolutely hate the artificial schedules and stress of the culture. I really don't recommend trying to fit yourself into a box.
posted by yueliang at 3:52 PM on November 10, 2015
As someone who does creative writing, but doesn't have a large output and majored as an English major, it was far more useful to be exposed to different interdisciplinary fields through my English professors, than the actual classes or writing itself. I just don't believe in the structure of higher education, except as gatekeepers to intelligent students who absolutely hate the artificial schedules and stress of the culture. I really don't recommend trying to fit yourself into a box.
posted by yueliang at 3:52 PM on November 10, 2015
If your option is that you end up having to do an old discipline major, well that's fine, but all your units in different subjects could possibly be better combined in an individual major. I've also heard UCSC is amazing for this as well.
posted by yueliang at 3:58 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by yueliang at 3:58 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: My sister is majoring in vocal performance, and my mom majored in piano performance. It absolutely consumes every part of your being, and requires an amazing amount of endurance and dedication. Imagine practicing for five or six hours a day, every day, for years - and that's excluding all the regular studying and attending classes. The pressure to be outstanding is unbelievable. And then you end up as a substitute teacher in one of the states that lets you be a teacher in something other than your degree subject -because there are no music teacher jobs available, and nothing else you can do in music will pay the bills. I know exactly one music major who's making a living actually doing music, and I think she actually majored in music education.
Anyway, I cannot in good conscience advocate that anyone (at least, anyone who can't get into Juilliard,) major in music.
I also agree with everyone who says your problem is not what you're majoring in.
posted by SMPA at 5:23 PM on November 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
Anyway, I cannot in good conscience advocate that anyone (at least, anyone who can't get into Juilliard,) major in music.
I also agree with everyone who says your problem is not what you're majoring in.
posted by SMPA at 5:23 PM on November 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
I did find it was possible to have both practicality and passion, but by then it was too late since Full Sail doesn't offer any majors I'm passionate about that also lead to a good paycheck.
Absolutely DO NOT believe the hype that Full Sail puts out about how you'll walk out of there with a degree and right into an $80,000 a year job. EVERY person in my profession (soundguy/person; audio engineer; audio tech; whatever you want to call it - along with all the professional lighting people I know) has multiple stories about fresh Full Sail graduates who think they're hot shit because of their fancy expensive Full Sail degree, and in 5 seconds it becomes obvious they don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Most of them never get called for a gig again. Quit looking at Full Sail materials - it's glamorous promotional crap designed to sucker you into giving them money.
With music I just sucked at self-teaching. I couldn't grasp the song structure; people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
I'm not at all sure you understand that virtually all variations of a music major have absolutely nothing to do with "writing songs" - most likely they'll be focused to a very large degree on performing on an instrument, and largely within the parameters of Western European art music, a.k.a. "classical music." The second focus will be on understanding the history and theory of this music. Even majoring in jazz or music therapy or music history or music education or "popular" music or music business or music technology or musicology will very likely be considered a branch or offshoot or 3rd/4th year speciality after or alongside having to learn classical performance skills and theory. Especially at the undergraduate level.
At one point you enjoyed making music, so right now you're thinking, "Well, I could major in music . . . . . " But music majors don't earn credits by writing or learning to write their own songs, they earn credits learning to play Rachmaninoff and taking apart Beethoven's fugues to see what makes them tick.
What should I do?
You should seek treatment for your depression. And you should get your degree in whatever major it is you're closest to being able to finish - as others have pointed out above, your Associate's or Bachelor's degree speciality really has very very little to do with your further education or your job possibilities.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:36 PM on November 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
Absolutely DO NOT believe the hype that Full Sail puts out about how you'll walk out of there with a degree and right into an $80,000 a year job. EVERY person in my profession (soundguy/person; audio engineer; audio tech; whatever you want to call it - along with all the professional lighting people I know) has multiple stories about fresh Full Sail graduates who think they're hot shit because of their fancy expensive Full Sail degree, and in 5 seconds it becomes obvious they don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Most of them never get called for a gig again. Quit looking at Full Sail materials - it's glamorous promotional crap designed to sucker you into giving them money.
With music I just sucked at self-teaching. I couldn't grasp the song structure; people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
I'm not at all sure you understand that virtually all variations of a music major have absolutely nothing to do with "writing songs" - most likely they'll be focused to a very large degree on performing on an instrument, and largely within the parameters of Western European art music, a.k.a. "classical music." The second focus will be on understanding the history and theory of this music. Even majoring in jazz or music therapy or music history or music education or "popular" music or music business or music technology or musicology will very likely be considered a branch or offshoot or 3rd/4th year speciality after or alongside having to learn classical performance skills and theory. Especially at the undergraduate level.
At one point you enjoyed making music, so right now you're thinking, "Well, I could major in music . . . . . " But music majors don't earn credits by writing or learning to write their own songs, they earn credits learning to play Rachmaninoff and taking apart Beethoven's fugues to see what makes them tick.
What should I do?
You should seek treatment for your depression. And you should get your degree in whatever major it is you're closest to being able to finish - as others have pointed out above, your Associate's or Bachelor's degree speciality really has very very little to do with your further education or your job possibilities.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:36 PM on November 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
Oh, also, get yourself a medical withdrawal for this academic term, if at all possible. You'll need a doctor's note, but it's generally not very challenging once you have that. You can also get them retroactively, but it's harder.
posted by SMPA at 6:54 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by SMPA at 6:54 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: But this isn't even the conversation you're ready for. Change your major to "getting stable and healthy enough to go to school" for now.
This this this.
I have opinions about majors (mostly that majors don't usually matter, but whether or not you can finish a degree does matter a lot) and about for-profit schools (that they are almost always the wrong choice), but you have to get your mental health situation into a good place before those other conversations become even slightly relevant.
Good luck -- I can tell from your comments here that you are smart and thoughtful, and you deserve every success.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:56 PM on November 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
This this this.
I have opinions about majors (mostly that majors don't usually matter, but whether or not you can finish a degree does matter a lot) and about for-profit schools (that they are almost always the wrong choice), but you have to get your mental health situation into a good place before those other conversations become even slightly relevant.
Good luck -- I can tell from your comments here that you are smart and thoughtful, and you deserve every success.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:56 PM on November 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
You should only major in music if you can't be happy doing anything else. I became a music major as sort of a last resort after I realized that I was going to be no less miserable in every other department than I had been in the one I failed out of. And I was indeed very happy in the music department (they were really my people), but I still managed not to graduate due to some attendance requirements that were incompatible with what turned out to be an undiagnosed sleep phase disorder. (If you were late you were counted as absent, and I was late a lot, so I ended up not getting credit for courses where I aced the material because I "missed" too many classes).
So first, take care of your depression and make sure you're healthy, and then (and only then) engage in a degree program that you're actually inspired to do. Finishing a degree without being healthy and happy is extremely difficult.
posted by fedward at 8:10 PM on November 10, 2015
So first, take care of your depression and make sure you're healthy, and then (and only then) engage in a degree program that you're actually inspired to do. Finishing a degree without being healthy and happy is extremely difficult.
posted by fedward at 8:10 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: Nthing that a very expensive degree from a non-accredited for-profit college is not a good way forward and that community college and treatment for depression is. Have you been evaluated for ADHD or the like? I've known terrible students in their early academic careers that got treatment for it and got much, much better. What soundguy99 said about Full Sail is very true in my experience.
Tough love ahead - what follows is not to tell you to give up but that some of your ideas and expectations are very unrealistic and that you need to reevaluate them.
The lifestyle I grew up with and the one I'd like to have requires me to make a lot of money. ... I actually did do the work in programming, but I changed because the stress was too much for me and I didn't want a lifetime of that high amount of stress.
I hate to break it to you, but neither music nor creative writing majors make much money - my sister has a Masters from one of the best schools in the world for her instrument and works 60 hours a week to be part of the lower middle class. If you've not been practicing two hours a day for your entire life, you're not in the same league as her.
You want a lot of money and not a lot of stress. So does pretty much everybody. The world isn't likely to just give you one. You are not a special snowflake that will get a the lifestyle you're accustomed to simply because you're from an upper middle class background. The world has changed since your parents generation and the future is a lot bleaker for pretty much everyone.
people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
How many people of your generation do you know that actually pay for music? Composition is one of the least profitable things to do as a musician outside of a few very skilled and/or lucky people. Some bland praise from friends is not enough to sink 10s of thousands of dollars of debt into on the hopes of it somehow paying off in the end.
My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's)
This is not going to happen any time soon so I'd advise coming up with another plan. You're in no state to succeed in grad school and they're not going to accept someone with your academic background until you've shown tremendous personal growth, either by succeeding professionally or basically doing an undergrad degree again with straight As and maybe a few Bs. I've known people that have done it, but there is little to no chance of you going directly to grad school.
posted by Candleman at 8:24 PM on November 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
Tough love ahead - what follows is not to tell you to give up but that some of your ideas and expectations are very unrealistic and that you need to reevaluate them.
The lifestyle I grew up with and the one I'd like to have requires me to make a lot of money. ... I actually did do the work in programming, but I changed because the stress was too much for me and I didn't want a lifetime of that high amount of stress.
I hate to break it to you, but neither music nor creative writing majors make much money - my sister has a Masters from one of the best schools in the world for her instrument and works 60 hours a week to be part of the lower middle class. If you've not been practicing two hours a day for your entire life, you're not in the same league as her.
You want a lot of money and not a lot of stress. So does pretty much everybody. The world isn't likely to just give you one. You are not a special snowflake that will get a the lifestyle you're accustomed to simply because you're from an upper middle class background. The world has changed since your parents generation and the future is a lot bleaker for pretty much everyone.
people liked my music but felt like it "went nowhere."
How many people of your generation do you know that actually pay for music? Composition is one of the least profitable things to do as a musician outside of a few very skilled and/or lucky people. Some bland praise from friends is not enough to sink 10s of thousands of dollars of debt into on the hopes of it somehow paying off in the end.
My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's)
This is not going to happen any time soon so I'd advise coming up with another plan. You're in no state to succeed in grad school and they're not going to accept someone with your academic background until you've shown tremendous personal growth, either by succeeding professionally or basically doing an undergrad degree again with straight As and maybe a few Bs. I've known people that have done it, but there is little to no chance of you going directly to grad school.
posted by Candleman at 8:24 PM on November 10, 2015 [10 favorites]
Perhaps in your dating life you should consider finding someone who can support the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed.
It may not be a concept you currently feel comfortable with, but it is a feasible solution to your future money concerns, regardless of your career path.
I don't like saying it, but there it is.
posted by lizbunny at 9:21 PM on November 10, 2015
It may not be a concept you currently feel comfortable with, but it is a feasible solution to your future money concerns, regardless of your career path.
I don't like saying it, but there it is.
posted by lizbunny at 9:21 PM on November 10, 2015
Best answer: I just noticed that Full Sail says most of its classes are four-week classes -- are these the classes you're failing? You can't sustain interest or effort over four weeks? GET THE DEPRESSION TREATED.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:21 PM on November 10, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:21 PM on November 10, 2015 [8 favorites]
Yeah… nth taking time out to really deal with your depression, and yeah, maybe getting assessed for ADHD. (Not saying you have it, it might just be the depression, but having a lot of interests, struggling to plan and make decisions, and having issues with completing assignments aren't things people with ADHD don't do; it might be worth looking into).
And 2nd taking a medical withdrawal.
And then working for a year or so before looking at your options again. Reasons to do that:
- It'd be a break from academic expectations, the cycle of failure, hope, that whole trap. Being able to finish at 5 or whatever time and then do anything else might be a relief.
- You'd have a chance to learn how to build a routine for yourself. After working (at any job), school will seem like a breeze, in a bunch of ways. The jobs you could get right now would probably involve having to learn how to prioritize tasks - and the tasks themselves probably wouldn't demand as much of you as you, either - again a relief (lower stakes in that way). So you'd be building necessary skills (helpful for school) without challenging your core self-concept (a relief from your immediate experience). (If academic skills are at issue, that obviously would require other kinds of investigations and learning, I'm just talking about learning to manage your time, yourself, your effort among others. Being good at that might be a confidence boost, too.)
- You'd get a glimpse of how things work in a corner of the world that's different from what you've known so far. You'd talk to all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds. You'd see for yourself how degrees and lives work out in at least a part of the real world.
- You'd have more time to do informational interviews, volunteer, gain other experiences.
- Meanwhile, you could (and should!) take a bunch of Coursera courses in creative writing, songwriting, and music composition. They're low-stakes - and free - and you'd have the structure you want.
I'm not saying you shouldn't get a degree. Get the degree, you'll need it. But pushing through without addressing the obstacles in your way = creating more obstacles. (I know this from personal experience, that isn't a dig.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:42 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
And 2nd taking a medical withdrawal.
And then working for a year or so before looking at your options again. Reasons to do that:
- It'd be a break from academic expectations, the cycle of failure, hope, that whole trap. Being able to finish at 5 or whatever time and then do anything else might be a relief.
- You'd have a chance to learn how to build a routine for yourself. After working (at any job), school will seem like a breeze, in a bunch of ways. The jobs you could get right now would probably involve having to learn how to prioritize tasks - and the tasks themselves probably wouldn't demand as much of you as you, either - again a relief (lower stakes in that way). So you'd be building necessary skills (helpful for school) without challenging your core self-concept (a relief from your immediate experience). (If academic skills are at issue, that obviously would require other kinds of investigations and learning, I'm just talking about learning to manage your time, yourself, your effort among others. Being good at that might be a confidence boost, too.)
- You'd get a glimpse of how things work in a corner of the world that's different from what you've known so far. You'd talk to all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds. You'd see for yourself how degrees and lives work out in at least a part of the real world.
- You'd have more time to do informational interviews, volunteer, gain other experiences.
- Meanwhile, you could (and should!) take a bunch of Coursera courses in creative writing, songwriting, and music composition. They're low-stakes - and free - and you'd have the structure you want.
I'm not saying you shouldn't get a degree. Get the degree, you'll need it. But pushing through without addressing the obstacles in your way = creating more obstacles. (I know this from personal experience, that isn't a dig.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:42 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was a piano performance major my first year of university. I was also accepted to the top wind and jazz ensembles on baritone saxophone. That meant, before even applying:
- preparing a repertoire for the admission performances (on piano, your repertoire must be memorized)
- learning piano since age 5, when I had asked my parents for lessons starting at age 3. To this day, nearing age 40, I remember what triggered it: I plinked our upright every day, and one of those days, my father said, "you know, there are lessons to learn how to play piano" at which I was promptly going "I WANT LESSONS TO PLAY PIANO!!!" every.single.day.for.two.years. A few months into it, my father had the bright idea to add, "if you're still asking by age five, we'll agree." He thought I'd give up. Instead it became, "I WANT LESSONS TO PLAY PIANO!!! HOW LONG UNTIL I'M FIVE NOW??" every.single.day.
- I practiced at least two hours a day, usually four or six. Every day. Because I felt I had to.
- I took up violin at 8, clarinet at 10, saxophone at 11 when I fractured my left wrist and couldn't hold clarinet properly. Fell in love with the baritone. Played it in groups 3 hours a day; practiced it one hour a day, piano being my main love.
I quit piano performance after a year. Several reasons, the biggest being things I can't go into here but which are part and parcel of playing piano at a professional level, that I found unacceptable for living happily. It was a harsh realization, seeing this huge opposition between the very thing that had brought me joy since my earliest memories, and unavoidable aspects of piano performance as a profession that made me sick to my stomach and revolted my moral values. Performers able to evade those issues are those who come from extremely privileged backgrounds; I do not have that privilege.
Could you transcribe a Bach prelude from memory? Can you name four different articulations? Are you able to sight-read on your main instrument? On an additional instrument?
Long story short: I have several friends who are professional musicians and who make their livings as music teachers. None of them are rich. None of them are securely middle-class. They are all struggling. These are people who were more talented, more dedicated, and harder-working than I was. Music is not something you want to go into.
Nthing that the depression is the underlying problem. Is there any way you could take a year off to dedicate yourself to resolving your depression? Put your studies on hold, get your heart and mind in order? Work small jobs to support yourself while doing that? View it as an investment in your future, because it genuinely is. I'm only 40 and have worked in four different fields already (music performance – I was a paid professional though young, played loads of gigs – language teaching, translation, and now testing in IT, though I'm moving towards management, which should probably be considered yet another field given how different it is from being a tester). You have time. You can afford to change your mind. But. If there's one thing I have seen that does not work, it's choosing to study something because you feel you have no other choice. Please care for yourself first and get your foundation taken care of. The rest will be so much easier to work out later.
posted by fraula at 3:33 AM on November 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
- preparing a repertoire for the admission performances (on piano, your repertoire must be memorized)
- learning piano since age 5, when I had asked my parents for lessons starting at age 3. To this day, nearing age 40, I remember what triggered it: I plinked our upright every day, and one of those days, my father said, "you know, there are lessons to learn how to play piano" at which I was promptly going "I WANT LESSONS TO PLAY PIANO!!!" every.single.day.for.two.years. A few months into it, my father had the bright idea to add, "if you're still asking by age five, we'll agree." He thought I'd give up. Instead it became, "I WANT LESSONS TO PLAY PIANO!!! HOW LONG UNTIL I'M FIVE NOW??" every.single.day.
- I practiced at least two hours a day, usually four or six. Every day. Because I felt I had to.
- I took up violin at 8, clarinet at 10, saxophone at 11 when I fractured my left wrist and couldn't hold clarinet properly. Fell in love with the baritone. Played it in groups 3 hours a day; practiced it one hour a day, piano being my main love.
I quit piano performance after a year. Several reasons, the biggest being things I can't go into here but which are part and parcel of playing piano at a professional level, that I found unacceptable for living happily. It was a harsh realization, seeing this huge opposition between the very thing that had brought me joy since my earliest memories, and unavoidable aspects of piano performance as a profession that made me sick to my stomach and revolted my moral values. Performers able to evade those issues are those who come from extremely privileged backgrounds; I do not have that privilege.
Could you transcribe a Bach prelude from memory? Can you name four different articulations? Are you able to sight-read on your main instrument? On an additional instrument?
Long story short: I have several friends who are professional musicians and who make their livings as music teachers. None of them are rich. None of them are securely middle-class. They are all struggling. These are people who were more talented, more dedicated, and harder-working than I was. Music is not something you want to go into.
Nthing that the depression is the underlying problem. Is there any way you could take a year off to dedicate yourself to resolving your depression? Put your studies on hold, get your heart and mind in order? Work small jobs to support yourself while doing that? View it as an investment in your future, because it genuinely is. I'm only 40 and have worked in four different fields already (music performance – I was a paid professional though young, played loads of gigs – language teaching, translation, and now testing in IT, though I'm moving towards management, which should probably be considered yet another field given how different it is from being a tester). You have time. You can afford to change your mind. But. If there's one thing I have seen that does not work, it's choosing to study something because you feel you have no other choice. Please care for yourself first and get your foundation taken care of. The rest will be so much easier to work out later.
posted by fraula at 3:33 AM on November 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
Clarification: "Music is not something you want to go into." Directly addressing the FPP there, not generalizing. Intensely dedicated people who feel called to music are a different story; it depends on a lot of factors.
posted by fraula at 3:37 AM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fraula at 3:37 AM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
In my experience, there are four ways that a degree leads to an income:
1. The skills you acquire in the course of the degree are useful in your job. (EXAMPLE: You become a better writer in the course of getting your degree; you use your writing skills to become a freelance journalist.)
2. The specific degree serves as a qualification for employment in that field. (EXAMPLE: Under certain circumstances, somebody hiring you to teach writing might not be qualified to read your short stories and decide how good they are, so they'd simply hire you based on the fact that you have a Master's degree from a well-respected writing program.)
3. Your degree proves that you have the intelligence and discipline to complete a challenging long-term project, and you end up getting hired by an employer in a totally different field, or getting into a professional graduate school. (EXAMPLE: I have a friend who majored in art history, then got an MBA and is now a businessman. Another history major I know ended up going to law school and is now an attorney.)
4. You get hired because of your specific skills or your specific degree, but you end up transitioning into some entirely new role. (EXAMPLE: Your writing skills get you hired as a technical writer, but a spot opens up in the company for a salesman, and because your boss thinks you'd be good at it, you end up switching roles.)
The bad news is, a writing degree is unlikely to lead to a big payday in categories 1 or 2. I got an English/Creative Writing undergraduate degree and a Masters in writing, and although I love being a writer, I can assure you that it's not a job to go into for the money.
The good news is, millions of people have gotten degrees in English or Philosophy or Left-Handed Renaissance Philosophers, and gone on to get well-paying jobs via path 3 or 4.
That said -- if you never complete your degree, NONE of the four paths will be open to you. So I think the question you need to be asking is not "Which degree should I get?" but "What do I need to do to complete any degree?"
If you are being an accurate judge of your own mental state, then it sounds like you are much better off switching to writing or music. A completed music degree is worth infinitely more than an abandoned programming degree.
However, I second everybody who is saying, with the greatest respect, that finding a good mental health professional may be the best thing you can do for yourself right now. I don't know whether that's something you should do instead of working on your degree, or alongside it-- that's something you'll have to figure out for yourself.
And remember: "Finish your degree now" and "Never get a college degree" are not your only choices. "Take a break and return to college in a year or two" is a perfectly reasonable choice, and one that many successful people have made.
posted by yankeefog at 4:49 AM on November 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
1. The skills you acquire in the course of the degree are useful in your job. (EXAMPLE: You become a better writer in the course of getting your degree; you use your writing skills to become a freelance journalist.)
2. The specific degree serves as a qualification for employment in that field. (EXAMPLE: Under certain circumstances, somebody hiring you to teach writing might not be qualified to read your short stories and decide how good they are, so they'd simply hire you based on the fact that you have a Master's degree from a well-respected writing program.)
3. Your degree proves that you have the intelligence and discipline to complete a challenging long-term project, and you end up getting hired by an employer in a totally different field, or getting into a professional graduate school. (EXAMPLE: I have a friend who majored in art history, then got an MBA and is now a businessman. Another history major I know ended up going to law school and is now an attorney.)
4. You get hired because of your specific skills or your specific degree, but you end up transitioning into some entirely new role. (EXAMPLE: Your writing skills get you hired as a technical writer, but a spot opens up in the company for a salesman, and because your boss thinks you'd be good at it, you end up switching roles.)
The bad news is, a writing degree is unlikely to lead to a big payday in categories 1 or 2. I got an English/Creative Writing undergraduate degree and a Masters in writing, and although I love being a writer, I can assure you that it's not a job to go into for the money.
The good news is, millions of people have gotten degrees in English or Philosophy or Left-Handed Renaissance Philosophers, and gone on to get well-paying jobs via path 3 or 4.
That said -- if you never complete your degree, NONE of the four paths will be open to you. So I think the question you need to be asking is not "Which degree should I get?" but "What do I need to do to complete any degree?"
If you are being an accurate judge of your own mental state, then it sounds like you are much better off switching to writing or music. A completed music degree is worth infinitely more than an abandoned programming degree.
However, I second everybody who is saying, with the greatest respect, that finding a good mental health professional may be the best thing you can do for yourself right now. I don't know whether that's something you should do instead of working on your degree, or alongside it-- that's something you'll have to figure out for yourself.
And remember: "Finish your degree now" and "Never get a college degree" are not your only choices. "Take a break and return to college in a year or two" is a perfectly reasonable choice, and one that many successful people have made.
posted by yankeefog at 4:49 AM on November 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Being a music major is tough. You will have classes from 8am until 6pm, and then rehearsals from 6pm until 10pm that only qualify as 0.5 credits, repeat six days a week; recitals and performances at midnight because you need to do them for credit, but there is no other time to schedule them as everyone else needs to do recitals, too.
Well, if you even get in. I started piano when I was 6 and was way better than average my entire life, but still barely good enough to make it, just barely. And I didn't even go to a music school.
Can you handle that? Most people quit. I started with 69 people my year and only TWO of us made it to graduation. The other 6 I graduated with had been there 6 years (I did it in four and was considered an anomaly).
Having a driving passion for music isn't what being a music major is about (the people with a passion were the people who quit).
Sure, I can make $80 an hour teaching in my own studio, but it's exhausting, so I teach as a hobby job on the side (I was full time for four years and it was too much, so it's been a hobby job ever since). But, I make way more money teaching a few students each week than working 3/4 time at a typical second job!
I have a BM, which is a more-specified version of a BA in Music, and my day job is as opposite-brained from music as possible.
I have a creative-writing friend who has a PhD and is an actual published author (people here would actually know their name!) who goes on book tours and everything! And they can't get a decent academic/teaching gig to save their soul And they are broke in between, and they work retail when not on tour, etc.
So, my answer to your question about throwing your life away to either of those things is "probably yes."
posted by TinWhistle at 7:20 AM on November 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Well, if you even get in. I started piano when I was 6 and was way better than average my entire life, but still barely good enough to make it, just barely. And I didn't even go to a music school.
Can you handle that? Most people quit. I started with 69 people my year and only TWO of us made it to graduation. The other 6 I graduated with had been there 6 years (I did it in four and was considered an anomaly).
Having a driving passion for music isn't what being a music major is about (the people with a passion were the people who quit).
Sure, I can make $80 an hour teaching in my own studio, but it's exhausting, so I teach as a hobby job on the side (I was full time for four years and it was too much, so it's been a hobby job ever since). But, I make way more money teaching a few students each week than working 3/4 time at a typical second job!
I have a BM, which is a more-specified version of a BA in Music, and my day job is as opposite-brained from music as possible.
I have a creative-writing friend who has a PhD and is an actual published author (people here would actually know their name!) who goes on book tours and everything! And they can't get a decent academic/teaching gig to save their soul And they are broke in between, and they work retail when not on tour, etc.
So, my answer to your question about throwing your life away to either of those things is "probably yes."
posted by TinWhistle at 7:20 AM on November 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
I am someone who followed their dream and got a liberal arts degree, though majoring in German Studies rather than music or writing. Despite it being a passion, finishing was a struggle. It took me 12 semesters for a four year degree. I wish that I'd studied business in addition or instead.
I just started a full time job in a major company. it was not my degree that got me here, but rather my customer service background. My starting salary is not huge (it's around half of the minimum I want to get to at the highest point in my career), but it's infinitely better for me to be working full-time - gaining experience, making connections, working out where I want to get to - than to be holding out for something unrealistic. But I'm hoping that now that I am in somewhere, I can work out where I want to go from here and how. If I want to become a business analyst, for example, I'll have to go back and get a business qualification. But if I want to get into communications, my current degree and my ability to write might be enough.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:05 PM on November 11, 2015
I just started a full time job in a major company. it was not my degree that got me here, but rather my customer service background. My starting salary is not huge (it's around half of the minimum I want to get to at the highest point in my career), but it's infinitely better for me to be working full-time - gaining experience, making connections, working out where I want to get to - than to be holding out for something unrealistic. But I'm hoping that now that I am in somewhere, I can work out where I want to go from here and how. If I want to become a business analyst, for example, I'll have to go back and get a business qualification. But if I want to get into communications, my current degree and my ability to write might be enough.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:05 PM on November 11, 2015
continued: so, basically, I think that maybe you have to rethink your goals and your strategy. Maybe you'll have to start out earning much less than you want while you work towards something that will pay better. But what you're currently doing is just not working and you might be better off taking a break for a couple of years, finding a job that works for you and trying to work up from there. You might find it easier to finish something if you know exactly why you're doing it (eg. to be eligible for a specific role that you know you want to do).Also, unless you want to get into academia or something, seriously reconsider your goal of getting a masters or phd. You may well just end up overqualified but underexperienced for a lot of roles
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:23 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:23 PM on November 11, 2015
Best answer: "Don't make your passion your means and don't make your means your life's passion"
Paraphrased, and I don't even remember from who but the meaning still stands. Be careful; if you love music now, you may not by the time you are finished with education and then having to pursue a day job. Because really, as explained above, VERY few people graduate compared to the people who begin an education in music and good jobs are STILL cut throat in the field. But I have no clue as to what you have in mind: Academia? Performance? Composing?
As a 44-year old ex-pro touring Rock/Punk/Blues musician who studied college level-theory in high school and then a bit more once in college and ended up with a degree in Audio Engineering who now is more-or-less retired from working gigs and teaching elementary school kids how to play a concert B to making a decent living wrenching on cars and playing locally for fun, I wish I would have finished my degree in Computer Science.
posted by peewinkle at 8:18 PM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Paraphrased, and I don't even remember from who but the meaning still stands. Be careful; if you love music now, you may not by the time you are finished with education and then having to pursue a day job. Because really, as explained above, VERY few people graduate compared to the people who begin an education in music and good jobs are STILL cut throat in the field. But I have no clue as to what you have in mind: Academia? Performance? Composing?
As a 44-year old ex-pro touring Rock/Punk/Blues musician who studied college level-theory in high school and then a bit more once in college and ended up with a degree in Audio Engineering who now is more-or-less retired from working gigs and teaching elementary school kids how to play a concert B to making a decent living wrenching on cars and playing locally for fun, I wish I would have finished my degree in Computer Science.
posted by peewinkle at 8:18 PM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: It's relieving to know that my lack of motivation is caused by depression. I've struggled with it my entire life and just thought it was my personality and that I'd never be able to truly accomplish anything. I also started music lessons at 3 and have played many instruments over the years (I'm 25 now), but I never got past a beginner's level on any of them because I couldn't motivate myself to practice. It's sad to think that if my depression had been treated earlier, maybe I'd be an amazing musician by now and my life would have a different trajectory.
Not sure why it came across that I don't work but I've been working since 16. Hated all my jobs except the nursing home and the one where I worked with animals. Other than that my job history is the same as my school history; usually got fired for missing too many days due to depression and not being able to get out of bed, getting teased at work and walking out because I was so upset, etc.
My parents made too much money for my financial aid to cover everything, so I've had to pay my way through college. When I turned 25 was the first time I actually got money back lol.
For now I'm going to look into seeing if it's possible to attend the local community college. Not sure it will be because I owed them money that I had to discharge in a bankruptcy, due to the aforementioned having to pay out of pocket and not being able to keep up with payments.
Thanks again for all the advice!!
posted by Autumn at 12:11 PM on November 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not sure why it came across that I don't work but I've been working since 16. Hated all my jobs except the nursing home and the one where I worked with animals. Other than that my job history is the same as my school history; usually got fired for missing too many days due to depression and not being able to get out of bed, getting teased at work and walking out because I was so upset, etc.
My parents made too much money for my financial aid to cover everything, so I've had to pay my way through college. When I turned 25 was the first time I actually got money back lol.
For now I'm going to look into seeing if it's possible to attend the local community college. Not sure it will be because I owed them money that I had to discharge in a bankruptcy, due to the aforementioned having to pay out of pocket and not being able to keep up with payments.
Thanks again for all the advice!!
posted by Autumn at 12:11 PM on November 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Also yes, those that mentioned ADHD are right - I was diagnosed with that when I was 18 or 19.
posted by Autumn at 12:44 PM on November 14, 2015
posted by Autumn at 12:44 PM on November 14, 2015
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Sure, but it will likely involve getting your degree, and then getting a job that has nothing to do with those things. Many people who work in those fields have degrees in something else entirely; many who have those degrees work in other fields. Very few people have a career directly related to the subject of their BA, no matter what it is.
If you majored in music and went on to do your MA in education, and get certified as a teacher, you might be able to find work with a school's music program--or teaching another subject, and being involved in an extracurricular music program. This would have a (depending upon location, quite slim) chance of leading to a stable, middle-class career path. But we're talking middle class, not "a lot of money".
My dream has been to get a PH.D (which won't be possible anymore since I go to a nationally accredited school, so now it's to get a Master's)
This statement maybe is missing a word or words, because as written it doesn't make any sense. Can you clarify?
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 2:56 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]