I'm pretty sure someone else here has the same problem.. :S

[Prinsesa]

Well, just to make the long story short:

I've alwaaaays wanted to have a creative job. Ex: Make up artist, web designer, fashion designer etc.

But my parents doesn't really support me career wise. I'm actually in my final year of university and I feel SO depressed. I guess everyone can relate to what I'm feeling when a person realizes that "Wow, this is my career, this is what I'll be doing for the rest of my life" type of thing. You know when life (responsibilities) hit you. And on TOP OF THAT, I'm NOT really happy with my career right now!

At first I thought it would be okay and that I would grow out of the "creative" side of me and surrender to the dark side (aka become a corporate drone lol). But I'm just losing interest in school because it wasn't really my choice of career to begin with.

*sigh*

 

[TamiChoi]

I know how you feel. Esp. with my MOTHER to be exact. She doesn't support anything unless it's dental hygiene, doctor, things of that nature. She says she wants me to go to school for something that will benefit me in the future. She's partially right, money wise. But I enjoy the total opposites: interior design, fashion, and cosmetology. Reality hit me not that long ago where I decided to do what I love and enjoy -- I'm deciding to go to cosmetology school. She told me I'll come out without a job. lol. whateverrrrr. It's true that if you don't enjoy something, chances are, you won't be that successful in that field. I know that I will sit in dental hygiene and get so bored, so really, it'll be a waste of 8-10 years of my life? lol. I'll prove my mother wrong though; somehow.

 

[Prinsesa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TamiChoi I know how you feel. Esp. with my MOTHER to be exact. She doesn't support anything unless it's dental hygiene, doctor, things of that nature. She says she wants me to go to school for something that will benefit me in the future. She's partially right, money wise. But I enjoy the total opposites: interior design, fashion, and cosmetology. Reality hit me not that long ago where I decided to do what I love and enjoy -- I'm deciding to go to cosmetology school. She told me I'll come out without a job. lol. whateverrrrr. It's true that if you don't enjoy something, chances are, you won't be that successful in that field. I know that I will sit in dental hygiene and get so bored, so really, it'll be a waste of 8-10 years of my life? lol. I'll prove my mother wrong though; somehow.

Wow you took the words out of my mouth. I guess I can't do anything right now, changing careers would mean wasting at least 40 Grand of my parent's money -_- I didn't have a choice in the beginning anyways : (

 

[Beauty Mark]

Well, you need to decide what's best for you. If it makes matters better, my family doesn't support me going into physics. If you really want to appease your mother, perhaps you can find part-time work or some other way to indulge your creative side.

 

[chocolategoddes]

OMG! I just got that "holy crap! this is my career" feeling you described.
I want to be a cosmetic surgeon and those college years are approaching. those years where i have to be serious about actually getting into med school.
i can't believe my dream of slicing into people and lifting, tucking, enhancing, reducing... it will all become a reality sooner than I think.
sure, i wont have my official residency for a goord 10-15 years.. but hey. It's pretty much what I'm planning on doing for the Rest OF MY LIFE!
eek

 

[spectrolite]

That's a really tough situation but in the end you have to think about yourself and your future. Do you want to live a life doing something you don't really want to do because of what your parents think or do you want to do something you are passionate about and that makes you happy? I was faced with a similar challenge when I first went to uni. My mother wanted me to be a teacher but I wanted to do something creative. It took me some time but I now have a degree in Multimedia Design and am not a teacher.

Go ahead and finish up your current degree and keep the parents appeased. There is nothing stopping you from doing something you want to do after that with your own money. Please don't give up. Do some short courses, take art classes, do freelance work, sketch at home. Just don't let anyone ever stop you from living your dream

 

[xsnowwhite]

aw I know exactly how you feel too! my mom does not want me to do any of my top career choices. I want to go to cosmo school but my mom said probably not because it is not a 'reputable' job. She says I wont get enough money, blah blah. Im doing it anyways(with my money) though but I do understand your frustration.

 

[florabundance]

I was having that experience, so I decided that I was going to take a year out .. really consider what I want - not my mum, not my dad.
I've found that life is too uncertain to wait for the future to really fulfill the goals you want. What with how the economy is and stuff, whatever your profession is you are going to have to struggle to be successful within your field, so i figured that I wanted to struggle for something that I loved.
My parents are the typical hard working immigrants who want their children to not have to break their backs because they did themselves. What they don't realise is that anything truly worth your while is never, ever going to be the easiest or most obvious option.

I hope this helped?

xx

 

[MzzRach]

I'm so sorry, that is such a hard thing to go through. I honestly believe that you should do what you love, even if the path is difficult. I am in a creative career (marketing communications manager/graphic designer) and it was not an overnight or easy process. I majored in Visual Communications in college, but it took years of hard work to get where I am now.

Stay focused on your dream. Best of luck to you!

 

[capmorlovesmac]

I am so sorry that you are stuck in this situation. I know this dilemma because my mother was in the same situation. Her parents signed the contract for her apprenticeship because she was 17 and couldn't do something against it. It was an other situation back then because where she lived you had no chance to get the education and job you want without the right connections. But still - she never wanted to learn her job. She had to learn something in economic and she always wanted to learn something creative. Her dream was to be a scene designer. After her apprenticeship she did distance learning as well as a job in that sector but she never liked it.
Because of her experiences (my father has similar ones, too) I had the chance to do something creative and study graphic design. I am really grateful but it still makes me sad that both of my parents couldn't get into the job they would have loved.

If you can't imagine the career without getting depressed it maybe is time for a change! It is your life and you should be able to get happy and look positive in the future.

 

[Willa]

My parents never told me that I couldnt do this or that... but never really supportive about my education/carreer.

I can't blame them, they made their choice...
They like to sit at home in front of the tv and work all day to forget about their boring life.

I am NOT going to end up like this, and when I told my mother last month that I was going to speed up a little on the makeup techniques learning, maybe taking a class, she did ''the face'', you know, the one they make when they don't approve.

And then she said : don't quit your job for that.
Thanks mom for being soooo suportive of my choices...

So I tell you : do what you like, its YOUR life.
If you believe in your dreams, you can achieve anything you want. You just have to persist untill you have what you want. Don't spend too much time thinking about how decieved they will be, it's a time and energy wasting!

 

[Jinni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectrolite Go ahead and finish up your current degree and keep the parents appeased. There is nothing stopping you from doing something you want to do after that with your own money. Please don't give up. Do some short courses, take art classes, do freelance work, sketch at home. Just don't let anyone ever stop you from living your dream

I think this is very sound advice. If you get your degree now, you will have something to fall back on if the other career options don't work out.

Getting an education now is definitely not a waste of time or money. Having a college education on your CV is going to work to your advantage pretty much anywhere you try to get accepted or get a job. It shows you are intelligent and determined.

 

[Prinsesa]

Yes, thanks ladies! Your advice makes me feel so much better! And I agree, I should finish this program and just start making my own money to actually start getting what I want. : ) I'm glad I'm not the only one!

 

[safi]

Yeah, you're definitely not the only one who feels this way!! I'm almost finished my undergrad degree in business, and recently it really hit me that I hate what I'm doing and would much rather pursue a career in music.

I definitely degree with what someone above said, finishing out your program, it can only serve to help you while you make your transition.

As far as the parents not believing that you can be successful in the career of your choice, personally I think it hurts, but I've realized that parents only want what they think is best for you, but at the same time just stay true to your dreams and you'll get to where you need to be.

 

[abbyquack]

I can understand everything you're feeling, as I've felt similarly, even now. I'm in my last semester of college also and although I'm really proud and happy I stuck through to learn all that I did, my plan is to pursue makeup artistry after this, but when people ask me what I'm going to do, I always say I'm going to graduate school or I'm going to be a teacher so I don't sound stupid or shallow. I think there is a stigma to makeup/hair artists - that they were the lazy ones that didn't go to college or something which is so untrue- just b/c the education lies elsewhere doesn't mean they're not absolutely talented and smart. Maybe that is why some parents feel uncomfortable about their child going into the said field.

Just do what makes you happy and don't worry about pleasing other people b/c it's YOU that has to live with that job every single day, no one else. Plus you're young! Enjoy it! There's always time for being a "corporate drone" when you're older if it comes to that.