I ATEN'T DEAD....yet.
Jul. 16th, 2008 10:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladymirthOnce upon a time, when I was young and naive and belived in the goodness of puppies and litte children, I thought I had my life pretty well figured. I was going to transfer from ANC to York University or McMaster in Canada and double major in Anthropology and Mass Communications. I'd get a work permit in Canada and work in Mass Media for a while. I'd help out my parents while they put my sister through her much more expensive biomedical engineering degree, until I had established myself enough to work part-time while doing my Master's degree in Anthropology. Then I would apply for permanent residency in Canada. I'd settle down there and possibly join the Peace Corps, which would mean that I'd get to travel all over the world if I was lucky.
And now, five and a half months before I'm due to transfer, Reality has Bitten me. Hard.
Student of U of California: "Anthropology and Mass Communications are both better known as 'Underwater Basket Weaving' degrees. You might want to reconsider."
Director of ANC, Dan Kelch: "Why would you want to go to Canada when the U.S has the better job market, more ethinic diversity, and a higher currency exchange rate? And if the standards of Canadian education are just the same as the U.S's, why do thousands of Candian students come to the U.S for their degrees every year?"
My bleeding history instructor who pulls in 200 grand a month from teaching at ANC: "Canada does encourage the immigration of skilled workers, but I doubt they're hankering after soft-core degree-holders like Anthropologists."
Student: "Well, maybe you could minor in something else, like Economics. Actually, I think you should major in Economics and Anthropology and maybe minor in Mass Comm. Mass Comm is a subject that can be learned practically a lot better than it can be learned theoretically. But of course, doing two majors and a minor will likely kill you."
Student Counselor: "Why York U? Why not universities like Chicago and Maryland, even if you do want to do anthropology?"
Personal Development Counselor and Psychology instructor, Dr. LeValley: "Whatever you choose, don't drop anthropology. You ARE an anthropologist. It's what you were born to do."
Dad: "You don't know where the world will end up. The world you will enter when you graduate isn't the world that will be in another 20 years time. There's no such thing as job security. Money isn't everything, and it can't buy happiness."
Quotes from Kelch which essentially boil down to: "Life ain't a Disney movie. It's all very well to say "follow your heart", but you've got to take other considerations into account too if it's gonna cost you $20,000 a year. What do you mean, money isn't your primary objective? Look at you. You're a fashionably dressed girl who hasn't paid a bill in your life. Believe me, the moment you start, money will become the primary objective. You can't have your parents invest their entire life savings on you and then get only a measly return on it."
My own inner voice: "Your parents were naive and they were victims of circumstance. If they had kept their eye on the ball rather than their ideals of family loyalty and keeping everybody happy at whatever cost, your family would have already migrated to Canada by now and they'd have been five times richer and they wouldn't have to scrimp and save to put you through college now. Don't fall into the same trap. You know what it's like to live without any financial stability. Or do you want to live in the Rocking Horse Winner your whole life?"
Cousin residing in Aussie: "Have you considered Australia? It's a lot warmer there, and you know you start freezing anytime the thermometer drops past 25 degrees (77 F)."
...
I've been living in a Disney movie. The reality is that I'm going to spend all my parents life savings on getting the inside scoop on underwater basket weaving, then then move into a slum shelter and eat at soup kitchens because nobody will give me a job. Canada is going not going to let me stay because they do not appreciate my mad underwater basket weaving skillz, Australia is not going to let me in because it has enough of those, and the U.S is going to laugh in my face. I'm going to have to come back to Sri Lanka with my tail between my legs and earn back what my parents spent on my college tuition in another thirty years time, if I'm lucky. And I'll be able to do neither the job I love, nor gain a return on my parents investment, nor make a comfortable living for myself.
Or maybe the gods will grant my wish, I end up being an anthroplogist and I grow to hate the job because I never have enough money and people keep snubbing me for polluting their capitalist, high-powered lifestyle with underwater baskets.
The day will come when the gods will grow angered at the self-congratulation and self-obsession of us Earthlings, vainglorious in our manipulation of science and nature and rampant in our consumerism. They will send giant tidal waves and earthquakes to submerge the corrupt capitalist civilizations deep under the sea, there to be lost forever more. Then will the people will need underwater baskets to proffer their offerings, swearing their penitence for ever having snubbed the Liberal Arts and begging for mercy and salvation. And there shall be no underwater baskets for them! And they shall be sorry!
But until such time of divine intervention...I'm basically screwed.
HELP!
And now, five and a half months before I'm due to transfer, Reality has Bitten me. Hard.
Student of U of California: "Anthropology and Mass Communications are both better known as 'Underwater Basket Weaving' degrees. You might want to reconsider."
Director of ANC, Dan Kelch: "Why would you want to go to Canada when the U.S has the better job market, more ethinic diversity, and a higher currency exchange rate? And if the standards of Canadian education are just the same as the U.S's, why do thousands of Candian students come to the U.S for their degrees every year?"
My bleeding history instructor who pulls in 200 grand a month from teaching at ANC: "Canada does encourage the immigration of skilled workers, but I doubt they're hankering after soft-core degree-holders like Anthropologists."
Student: "Well, maybe you could minor in something else, like Economics. Actually, I think you should major in Economics and Anthropology and maybe minor in Mass Comm. Mass Comm is a subject that can be learned practically a lot better than it can be learned theoretically. But of course, doing two majors and a minor will likely kill you."
Student Counselor: "Why York U? Why not universities like Chicago and Maryland, even if you do want to do anthropology?"
Personal Development Counselor and Psychology instructor, Dr. LeValley: "Whatever you choose, don't drop anthropology. You ARE an anthropologist. It's what you were born to do."
Dad: "You don't know where the world will end up. The world you will enter when you graduate isn't the world that will be in another 20 years time. There's no such thing as job security. Money isn't everything, and it can't buy happiness."
Quotes from Kelch which essentially boil down to: "Life ain't a Disney movie. It's all very well to say "follow your heart", but you've got to take other considerations into account too if it's gonna cost you $20,000 a year. What do you mean, money isn't your primary objective? Look at you. You're a fashionably dressed girl who hasn't paid a bill in your life. Believe me, the moment you start, money will become the primary objective. You can't have your parents invest their entire life savings on you and then get only a measly return on it."
My own inner voice: "Your parents were naive and they were victims of circumstance. If they had kept their eye on the ball rather than their ideals of family loyalty and keeping everybody happy at whatever cost, your family would have already migrated to Canada by now and they'd have been five times richer and they wouldn't have to scrimp and save to put you through college now. Don't fall into the same trap. You know what it's like to live without any financial stability. Or do you want to live in the Rocking Horse Winner your whole life?"
Cousin residing in Aussie: "Have you considered Australia? It's a lot warmer there, and you know you start freezing anytime the thermometer drops past 25 degrees (77 F)."
...
I've been living in a Disney movie. The reality is that I'm going to spend all my parents life savings on getting the inside scoop on underwater basket weaving, then then move into a slum shelter and eat at soup kitchens because nobody will give me a job. Canada is going not going to let me stay because they do not appreciate my mad underwater basket weaving skillz, Australia is not going to let me in because it has enough of those, and the U.S is going to laugh in my face. I'm going to have to come back to Sri Lanka with my tail between my legs and earn back what my parents spent on my college tuition in another thirty years time, if I'm lucky. And I'll be able to do neither the job I love, nor gain a return on my parents investment, nor make a comfortable living for myself.
Or maybe the gods will grant my wish, I end up being an anthroplogist and I grow to hate the job because I never have enough money and people keep snubbing me for polluting their capitalist, high-powered lifestyle with underwater baskets.
The day will come when the gods will grow angered at the self-congratulation and self-obsession of us Earthlings, vainglorious in our manipulation of science and nature and rampant in our consumerism. They will send giant tidal waves and earthquakes to submerge the corrupt capitalist civilizations deep under the sea, there to be lost forever more. Then will the people will need underwater baskets to proffer their offerings, swearing their penitence for ever having snubbed the Liberal Arts and begging for mercy and salvation. And there shall be no underwater baskets for them! And they shall be sorry!
But until such time of divine intervention...I'm basically screwed.
HELP!
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-16 12:46 pm (UTC)Of all the advice you were given above, the quote I agree with the most is your dad's. His comment is the absolute, unvarnished truth. However, that doesn't mean you should give up your dreams, simply that you need to make your choices with your eyes wide open. Check out the requirements for the Peace Corps. Talk to Wendy about employment in Canada. Go find someone who is currently employed in the anthropology field and have a chat about their education and career. Consult with people you trust, and then make your decision. If that decision is still anthro in Canada, fine, but you'll take with you the confidence that you really thought about it.
I'd also like to remind you that what you major in and what you spend your life doing are often two different things. For example, moi: a history major/anthro minor who works in banking and treasury, for heaven's sake! Can you think of any two fields farther apart? So even if you did major in underwater basket weaving, that's not necessarily what you're going to be locked into for the rest of your life.
You're in my thoughts and prayers, friend.
P.S. I'm excited that you may someday be living on the same continent I am! Not that I really ever get to Canada, but even so. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-16 03:55 pm (UTC)Talk to Wendy about employment in Canada.
Does she work in an advisory capacity like that? I had a vague idea that she did.
For example, moi: a history major/anthro minor who works in banking and treasury, for heaven's sake! Can you think of any two fields farther apart?
But...but you were working for the bank before you ever went to college and you didn't empty your parents whole life savings on it. *is miserable*
*wants hug* *clings*
P.S. I'm excited that you may someday be living on the same continent I am! Not that I really ever get to Canada, but even so. :)
Are you kidding? If I get to share anywhere like the same land mass with you, I shall certainly turn up on your doorstep one day, even if I have to backpack through the country! =D
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-16 05:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-16 05:34 pm (UTC)