Did you have a change at heart in profession interests?

amother

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 4:21 am

Just curious, whether you are working or not presently (I am not) if you had a change of interests in your profession? What was it? I started out with an interest in psychology and occupational therapy but didnt go into either because #1 I thought the interest was not genuine, #2 I wasnt into the whole science aspect. I ended up majoring in Early Childhood Education. But now I am very interested in midwivery and doula type things, though I have no training. I so want to go back to school for either but it's not practical now.
What was your change of heart, if any?

neshamale

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 4:48 am

As a kid I always wanted to be a pediatrician or psychologist, but 1- since I moved back and forth (US-Israel) a lot I fealt that I wouldn't have a strong enough educational foundation for med school and 2- I though it'd be a physically and emotionally draining job and wouldn't leave me energy for my family, which I always somehow knew I'd want and b"h have.... BUT now - I am married with kids and work full time in computers and wish I would've done what I wished to do and am discovering how even with a husband and kids I can still have energy to do something I love with a passion!
On another note - I know an amazing woman who got married at 18 and has 5 kids and she is now 32 in nursing school- and the top in her class- I think it's amazing that she's going after her dream...
Unfortunately not all of us can afford to stop working right now and go back to school.

catonmylap

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 4:53 am

I kind of wish I had pursued medicine and become a doctor. I was put off at the amount of training you need for that, but by now I would have been long done with it. I also didn't have the self-confidence at that point to realize I was smart enough to do it. I feel too old to go back to school now.

What I studied and what I am doing now also kind of fit my talents/skills anyway.

Ruchel

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 5:01 am

Sure!
In high school I had the main "concentration" on economics, gestion and politics. I went on to study economics and gestion in university, became bored to death, switched to theater school, discovered the theater circle stank, went back to university for English.
Oh, and as a child I was in a half regular school half singing school for years - then thought it was more clever to make sure I'll have my baccalaureat and switched to regular school.

MiracleMama

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 8:40 am

My plan was always to go to law school, but that didn't happen. I became a teacher instead, but didn't love it. Ended up working for a company where I was able to work my way through the ranks. Started as a receptionist and ended up after several years as an HR director. Now, B"H, I am full time mommy. Very Happy

gigi

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 9:02 am

no. but my husband did
computer programmer became....
electician, contractor, teacher, and beekeeper!!

soon to be shochet and farmer (please g-d)

Clarissa

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 9:06 am

gigi wrote:

beekeeper!!

Beekeeper! That is so cool, I've actually had fantasies about doing that. Believe it or not, there are city people who do it on rooftops. It's more difficult nowadays, with some weird thing cutting down on the bee population. At any rate, I'll never do it but I envy your husband.

gigi

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 9:40 am

yeah it is cool.
he even took me in the middle of a swarm of bees.
they were so loud you couldnt think!
and he explained why they wouldnt sting me, even though I was surrounded by them.

MiracleMama

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 9:43 am

gigi wrote:

and he explained why they wouldnt sting me, even though I was surrounded by them.

Can you explain it to us?

gigi

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 10:11 am

sure.
honeybees only sting for 2 reasons.
1, they are protecting their hive
2, they are defending themself

this swarm was crowding a round a box with a lot of extra open honey.
a bees job is to bring home more nectar to convert in to honey in the hive.
honey is their food.
this huge swarm was gathering around the box to gather as much honey as they could.
they were working, and certainly not going to pay attention to a few strangers watching them.
they were all away from their hive, and were busy.
also if they were to sting me, they would lise their own life.
so they only sting as a very last resort.

note: this is only true of honeybeees.
not killer bees or wasps.

MiracleMama

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 10:32 am

gigi wrote:

Thanks Gigi. Very interesting... though I think if it were me I'd still be shaking in my shoes. I'm a big chicken.

bashinda

Wed, Nov 21 2007, 4:44 pm

I started out in IT doing first data backup than more system administration and now I wouldn't go back that. I gave it all up to go learn in EY and now to be a wife and mommy. I'm not sure what I'd go into when I eventually go back to work.

loveit

Thu, Nov 22 2007, 5:17 am

Clarissa wrote:

gigi wrote:

beekeeper!!

My father was a bee keeper before my parents had kids. He even got a degree in fruit science and used this for beekeeping, I think it's funny, he'll always be a hippy at heart!

Yakira

Thu, Nov 22 2007, 5:28 pm

Did Computer Science for undergrad. My last semester I realized it wasn't for me, and I was enjoying my assistant teaching job immensely. So I went to Grad school for Special Ed and haven't looked back since Smile

ss321

Wed, Dec 05 2007, 8:45 am

I had a hard time deciding in college...went back and forth between pa and med school. I always liked science, and nothing else ever really interested me (acctng/business, psych/special ed, etc etc). I was scared of all the time and energy it would take to go to medical school, but now, im so glad im doing it, b/c I wont look back and say "hmm...I couldve been a dr, right?" and as much as e/o says its hard and rigorous and time consuming, at the end of the day, you have so many options, you have more freedom than you would in most professions, you can set your own schedule, and you can make a very good amount of money for working not that many hrs per wk. so I can work part time, or just stay home completely for a few yrs...I hope its worth it in the end Smile

Seraph

Wed, Dec 05 2007, 9:56 am

Yes, my interests changed a ton.
at first, I wanted to be a psychologist.
then I wanted to have a magazine for teens at risk.
then I decided I wanted to work in gifted education.
didnt do any of those.
now I work as a preschool assistant and loving it- but dream job would be to be a sem teacher...

eta: lets not forget about my dreams of being a massage therapist or food decorator.
and I'm even thinking that I might enjoy interior design.

gonewiththewind

Wed, Dec 05 2007, 12:02 pm

To become a midwife would be a lot of training, but you can get into the field in other ways, taking small steps that would not necessitate leaving your current job. For example, becoming a lamaze or swiss method instructor and giving classes at night or doing occasional labor coaching. I believe in going for your dream. I finally went to grad school at age 39 and I should have done it much earlier, even with a family. It is a fine balance between being a good wife and mother and still doing what you need to be you.