It’s that time of year where high school seniors are finalizing their college choices for next year. Obviously I do not have a senior (yet, thank goodness), but I know many people who do! I love witnessing this next step!
One of the cool things about Asher’s swim team is that it’s one big team- unlike soccer, where you technically have one big club, but then the kids are all siphoned off into smaller teams of only 15 kids or so. So you really never get to know the parents from any other teams above or below very well. In swimming, the kids all swim together in the meets (just different heats by age), so the kids all intermingle on the pool deck, and same for the parents in the bleachers.
Asher joined the swim team when he was 6, and it’s a sport with some serious longevity. I’d say a majority of the kids he started with are still swimming, now 8 years later. A lot of the families also tend to have multiple swimmers (i.e. 3 kids, and they all swim). So, we’ve gotten to know a LOT of people through swimming, and many of Asher’s good swim friends have older brothers or sisters. Even if I don’t really personally know the older siblings, I sort of feel like I do, because I know the parents, I’ve watched them swim at meets for years, etc.
Anyway, I’ve seen quite a few college announcements come out on Facebook from some of these families this week. We also just received two graduation party invites for June already! (SAD- we will be in Hawaii for both of them.) It’s just really fun and exciting to witness these kids dialing in on their final college choices! I also like hearing about what they want to study. (If they know at this point- seems like many already have this all figured out, which is impressive!)
I remember that spring of senior year being such a bittersweet time back when I lived through it- all the emotions of finishing high school, leaving behind your home and memories and your best friends, but also the thrill of moving on to that big next step.
Also, it’s great to know so many families with older kids because I always feel like I’m getting a “preview” of what’s to come. Like I can just sort of dip my toe, from a distance- it’s not my turn yet, but I can observe and slowly start warming up to the idea of diving in. 🙂 It is hard to wrap my brain around the fact though that some of these kids that I watched in their little swimsuits and caps at age 9 or 10 are now 18-year-olds graduating from high school!
Sigh. It all goes too fast. I mean, gosh. Asher will be a freshman next year. If he doesn’t decide to swim in college, that means he’s down to just 4 years left in his swim career! Just like that. It’s like they’re in elementary school and you have all this time stretching before you, and then bam- they hit middle school and that goes by in a flash and then suddenly high school is upon you and then…. it’s over?!
Okay, let’s wrap this up before I get too sappy.
Two questions:
1) Do you have a high school senior (or soon to be college aged kid) in your house? How’s that all going?! What are their top choices? Does your child already know what they want to “be” when they grow up?
2) Where did you go to school and what did you major in? Did you know what you wanted to study before you got there?
I went to the University of Wisconsin- Madison and double majored in Nursing and Spanish. I was very unsure of what I wanted to study, though I was leaning toward going Pre-Law at first. Then I took two Political Science classes my freshman year and hated them, so for some silly reason I took that as a sign that I shouldn’t go into Law. Which kind of irks me to this day, because I now actually think I could have been really good in that field and would have enjoyed it. I sometimes regret not pursuing that. (And have occasionally daydreamed about….going back to school? And then I’m like, oof… My job is interesting and flexible and I have amazing benefits and my work/life balance is pretty stellar and I’m probably fine right where I am.) Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure that I could have done just fine in many areas of Law without loving politics. I actually think I could have been an awesome Immigration lawyer with my Spanish skills, too!
Nursing came about as more of a…. “umm…I’m already a sophomore now and I need to decide on something here and well, I like working with people and I’m caring and I think I’d have a good bedside manner and I’m personable and don’t mind a fast-paced environment, so….Nursing? Sure.” (Since I “decided late” I ended up having to go an extra year to squeeze in all the Nursing pre-reqs plus summer school to fit in all the Spanish classes, too.)
*Fun fact– I never took a single Spanish class until I got to college! I took French in high school. (But je ne parle pas francais…..). Decided going into college that I really wanted to learn Spanish, so I took Spanish 101 and 102 my freshman year. Then I studied abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico the summer between my freshman and sophomore year and crammed in the next two semesters in an intensive program then (and lived with a host family). It’s good I did this, or I never would have been able to fit in ALL the Spanish classes required for a major! By fall of sophomore year I was already up to Spanish 5.
My professors could never believe I had just started studying Spanish so recently by how quickly I became fluent. (I remember this one Mexican professor I had saying, Wow…. you just started learning Spanish last year?? You are….muy inteligente!! 😆😆). I do feel I just somehow had a knack for it, but I actually think it was also a good thing that I waited to start until college. By that point I was really into it and worked super hard (versus in high school, where kids tend to sort of float through the language classes and/or don’t have the greatest teachers, necessarily….). Some kids in my college classes that half studied it in high school knew just enough to test into the higher levels, but their basic foundations were WEAK. In contrast, my basics were rock solid and that paid off immensely.
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for my education! (Will stick with that theme here today :))
GRATEFUL KAE 
We have a few years to go, thank goodness!
I just can’t even with Asher at 6. Too cute (and where do the years go?)
I went to a small liberal arts school here in Canada – Mount Allison University. It’s small but ranked the #1 primarily undergrad school in the country and has the highest proportion of Rhodes Scholars per capita of any school in the Commonwealth! I LOVED it and would LOVE for my kids to go. It was a great school and environment. I really miss that era as I was in my “niche” in years 2-4 at university.
I majored in Biology. I really wanted to be a double Major (Bio + English), but since I wanted to do a research track degree – Honours – I simply couldn’t make it work. I regret that to this day but such is life! It was too hard to make my class schedule work with so many labs in the afternoons when most of the Arts classes were held. I went on to get by Master’s in Biology and the plan had always been to get an MBA, but then I got married and had a baby before I finished my graduate degree so once I finished that up more schooling fell by the wayside.
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That sounds like a great school! If it’s nearby, then that would be perfect if your kids end up wanting to go that route, too! It is definitely complicated to make double majors work in many cases. It’s just so many courses! In my case I was ONLY able to make the double major work by going an extra year, and doing summer courses multiple years…
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I majored in political science with a math minor and I went to grad school in polisci, too. BUT. I didn’t decide on a major until the first semester of my junior year. I wanted to work in non-profits and the instructors at our business school were giant jerks (which I’ve learned is sort of normal across academia), so I didn’t want to deal with them. That’s how I decided on a major (at a mid-tier state school – Bowling Green State University – I was admitted to the flagship universities of my home state, but BG offered me a full scholarship).
Also, most polisci majors don’t go into politics. They go into non-profits, management, law (of course), journalism, teaching, government sector jobs that aren’t lobbying/campaigning/running for office, etc. Of course, some do become legislative assistants, advocates, or campaign officials, but the beauty of a liberal arts degree is how the skills you learn are transferable because of your solid base of fundamentals. But I have gone off about this in your comments section before, so I’ll refrain here. Ha!
But now I work in higher ed. Most students here change their major at least once. At that’s great! That’s what we want. We want them to take a film studies/chemistry/education class and think “wow! that was fun! I want to do that for my major/minor”! We want them to try new classes and new projects and new experiences. And that frequently means they’ll find something new and it can change the trajectory of their educational and career paths.
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Yes, you’ve mentioned this before and I love to hear your insights! I think the trickiest thing with the major change is that…it can kind of sound nice in theory, but in some cases is hard to implement. Like in my situation, not deciding on nursing until midway through my sophomore year meant I was in NO WAY ready to apply to Nursing school at the end of sophomore year (as would be traditional course, since then Nursing school would typically be your 3rd and 4th years). But since I wasn’t planning on going into Nursing, I didn’t have like, any of the pre-reqs done. I needed a specific Chemistry class, Physiology, Anatomy, a Child Development class, Bacteriology… all these classes that were not on my radar my first year when I was taking Poli Sci and Econ and English, thinking I was maybe going a pre-Law route. So while I agree that those exploration classes are awesome and hopefully ultimately lead to the right fit, I guess I just wish somehow it were EASIER to make those switches. Same with like business- no way could I have just quickly switched into a Business major, since again, I’d need to be all set with pre-reqs for Business school application. I guess it may be easier to swich if you’re say just going from one liberal arts major to another, or switching from one science to another. It’s when you want to major in something that requires admittance to the “School of X” (undergrad) that I think it gets extra tricky. Fortunately in my case I was *just* able to squeeze all those nursing pre-reqs in so I could apply to Nursing school the following spring- though I did have to take summer school between sophomore and junior year (and the following summer, too), and also had to take a hellish 18 credit fall semester piling up Physiology, Anatomy and Bacteriology and also the Child Development class all at the same time. I remember my advisor saying, OH we don’t recommend you take all those classes at the same time….then she was like, oh, shoot. But if you don’t, you won’t be able to apply to Nursing school for another year! (As it was I was already applying a full year later (end of junior year) than “most” people would (meaning 5 years total instead of 4), so no way did I want to push it a whole other year to 6! Anyway, it worked out, but was a little painful!
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Haha I could copy/paste the 2nd 2 paragraphs from NGS comments above – and I also work in higher ed – specifically working with pre-law students! There is a huge perception that it’s somehow necessary or beneficial to major in poli sci to go to law school – not at all true. You can major in whatever the heck you want, and I actually have worked with several alums who had full careers as nurses and decided to go back to go to law school, so anything is possible 🙂 YOUR MAJOR DOES NOT HAVE TO EQUAL YOUR CAREER is the biggest message I hope to impart upon my children! SOMETIMES it does (my husband was a computer science major and is now a software developer) but it’s not better/preferred to have everything locked in at 17/18 for the rest of your life! I work in a broader office devoted to planning & exploration and we share stats all the time about how often people change their majors (2-3) and how many people THINK they have it settled, and then change (75%) – like NGS said, that’s a GOOD thing! That’s the point of college! I believe I have also ranted about this in your comments before too hahahahaha
I went to Univ of Minnesota and majored in Journalism – initially wanting to be a reporter but decided to do the strategic communication/advertising/PR track instead, worked in advertising for a few years after undergrad and then went into higher ed and got a MS in Counseling Psych. And now I direct the pre-law programs here 🙂 Just happened to land in this role after working in career counseling for a few years!!
I am so fascinated slash terrified to watch my kids figure this out themselves…
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That’s so interesting how you ended up where you are! I think it is fun to see how career paths twist and turn. I often think about this when I meet someone who has some job as, I don’t know, Director of Some Weird Thing and I’ll think, I wonder how they ended up there! Certainly they didn’t say as a young child, When I grow up I want to be THAT! I think this is where it gets really tricky to help guide my kids. Even as an adult, when I think of “careers” my brain always goes to the basics, things that you can identify easily. Nurse, Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Physical Therapist, Dentist, Engineer, etc. It seems pretty straightforward if you want to be something like that. But it’s a lot harder to say, well, I think I’d like to be a Quality Consultant for some business. Or an insurance underwriter. Or a….I don’t know, Purchasing Manager. Or something! Haha! (Or a Pre-Law Program director, like you!) I mean, kids (and most adults) just aren’t going to necessarily even put two and two together initially as to what skills could be useful in which fields- and honestly my kids probably have NO idea that many jobs even exist! The role I’m currently in- a Nurse Data Analyst/ Quality Specialist- is something that I didn’t even know existed when I started in Nursing. I just ended up stumbling into it…. Anyway, it all seems very complicated! I am nervous about trying to help the boys navigate it because I don’t feel like I handled it very well the first time around when I did it myself! I was confused then and while it ended up working out and I’m happy overall, like I said in my post, I’m never fully convinced that I made the perfect choice.
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So I have to kind of laugh a bit at the “time flies” comment. I am sure I will reach a point of parenting where I feel that way but I am NOT there now. A coworker stopped by this morning to chat and asked about the boys. When I said Paul is in Kindergarten he said – wow, time flies! And I said, “does it really, Matt?” I was joking but only partially. When people make comments about how fast time flies with kids he will tell that he has felt every single day of the last 3 years of Taco’s life. 😉 Hee hee. I can see how things will pick up speed as the kids get into elementary school, though.
I am FAR OFF from high school but I’ve watched a couple of nephews make decisions. It’s way more complex than it was for me. When I was making my college decision, my parents told me I could go wherever I wanted but to keep in mind that I was paying for it (I was 1 of 5, and 3 of us were clumped close together so it was not realistic for them to pay for our schooling on their middle class salaries). So I focused on schools within my state and went to the University of North Dakota. I didn’t apply anywhere else and I ended up getting a nice scholarship because of my ACT. When I started school, I randomly thought I would major in clinical lab science. Then I took chemistry and HATED it. I had met all the math requirements so didn’t have any math classes that first semester and I MISSED MATH SO MUCH. I was tutoring people in their algebra classes on my floor and could tell that was where my passion was. So I majored I switched my major to math in the 2nd semester of freshman year and never looked back. I didn’t think much about how I would use that math degree – I knew I wasn’t going to teach HS or pursue a PhD and teach in college. But I was like “I’ll figure it out, don’t worry.” And I eventually did, but there wasn’t a natural job for me out of college. However it did all work out and a degree in math REALLY stands out on a resume. I did consider going to law school but I read this book called “The Law School Confidential” and it convinced me that was NOT that path for me. I think I had this tv-based idea of what a lawyer does (being in a courtroom) and the book emphasized that the main thing lawyers do it write. And while I enjoy writing on my block, I did not like writing papers so it was evident law was not the field of work for me. Now I feel like I’ve ended up in a career that is perfect for me. It uses my math skills since fixed income is very very math based and I get to write and use my people skills, etc. Maybe it would help to read that book now to feel better about your decision to not go to law school? I honestly do not know many lawyers who are super happy in their jobs, so maybe it all worked out as it should have?
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Ok, I hear you on it feeling slow right now!! I do think that the 0-5 age range didn’t fly by for me. But trust me that once the elementary wheels really start rolling, it really starts to pick up speed! I remember being like, Oh, he’s only in Kindergarten. Then soon that was done, and on to 1st grade, and then pretty soon they’re in that 3-4th grade range, and suddenly finishing 5th grade, and on to middle school… I don’t know, I feel like the school years (once both are in school) just loop around so fast. When they’re little you don’t have the seasonality that comes with the school year. But when both kids are in school, it’s like there’s Sept- Christmas, and then winter, and then once spring break hits the year feels practically over. Summer is often busy and flies by, then a new year starts… repeat! I literally feel like we JUST got Ethan all set up in high school, attended his new student induction ceremony, etc… and now he is starting 4th quarter already! Like, what?! It’s so weird. I know right now you probably can’t imagine this. But I was warned by others about this and I have to say, it seems true!
About the lawyer stuff, in my case I would have had NO desire to do any courtroom litigating!! That would be a nightmare for me. I was actually drawn to the more “office setting” law work- like the writing, client meetings, etc. No desire to be Perry Mason here! haha. But I feel like plenty of lawyers never need to be standing in a courtroom arguing in front of a jury, you know?!
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We’ve got a college freshman and a high school junior. The oldest is clearly destined to become a software developer just like his dad, and he’s going to a local university. The youngest is taking an engineering track in high school, so I think it’s just a matter of him choosing his specialty. I think it will be civil or electrical. Right now he’s talking a good game about wanting to go away for school, so we’ll see. It’s so fun to see what the kids will be when they grow up.
The only thing I was sure of was going to the local uni. Honestly I had/have no idea what I wanted to do. I started as an HR major and flunked out my first semester, and then when I came back I looked at nursing school. It was hard to get in, so I went with Plan B and majored in nutrition. I didn’t get the internship so I started doing office work to tide me over until next year when I could apply again, and the office job turned into a permanent track. Years later I found accounting and went back to school to get my masters. I’m definitely a fan of career change.
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Wow, that’s so interesting how you bounced around until you finally landed on the right thing! So you ended up going back for a masters in accounting but just building on your bachelor’s in nutrition? So interesting!
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Hi Kae,
Your post about witnessing your child’s next step into college struck a chord with me. It’s a monumental moment filled with pride and a touch of nostalgia. I’ve been there, watching my own child make that leap, and I remember the mix of emotions it brought. It’s a reminder that our role as parents evolves, but we never stop being their cheerleaders. Your reflection on this journey is a beautiful tribute to the bittersweet process of letting go and watching them grow.
Warmly,
Maria Positiva
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Absolutely! I feel both excited and nervous about moving toward that stage in the boys’ lives. Definitely can see how emotions can run high! It will be so neat to see what they end up deciding to do, though.
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I’m far off from college for my kids but my oldest nephew who is local is a junior so I’m listening to a lot of those discussions through my brother/SIL and wow it seems way more intense (and expensive!!!) than when I was applying to college! I went to UC Berkeley and absolutely loved it. I spent my life at small private schools that I found very suffocating socially but they prepared me so well academically. I LOVED the anonymity of a big public school and found my people pretty quickly. I started out as a chemistry major but then quickly pivoted due to all those 8am classes and lab time. Um no thank you I was here to HAVE FUN (ugh so cringey now). But my pivot was to environmental economics. I’m now an environmental scientist and I use chemistry every day so I’m not far off from where I started AND ended up. It all works out it turns out.
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Sounds like you had a great college experience! That’s funny that you basically changed majors based on the class time, LOL!! Well, I guess it all worked out for the best! Haha! Thanks for sharing this- so interesting to hear how different people’s paths turned out.
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I went to UCLA and majored in economics and right now I’m a stay at home mom. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study when I got there. I definitely enjoyed taking all of the different general education classes I had to take to get a glimpse of a lot of different subjects.
I also started studying Spanish in college and did a semester in Guadalajara. I think it was the summer of 2004. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years now but only occasionally comment but it seems wild that we might have overlapped in Guadalajara. I can’t remember the name of the school or anything to compare notes but there were a lot of students from universities in the US. Thanks for the little trip down memory lane.
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I feel like in an ideal world there could be more time for those general education classes! Like I said in a comment response above, the tricky part is if you want to apply to a “school of” something during your undergrad (like in my case, you typically would apply to Nursing school at the end of sophomore year, and then Nursing school is junior and senior year). I think Business school is similar- you have to have all your Pre-Req ducks in a row. So if you’re just taking a bunch of random exploration classes, you can end up like me, basically unprepared to apply to Nursing school on time! It worked out, but I had to do summer school and an extra year, which might not be ideal for some people for various reasons ($$, time, etc.).
That’s so funny you also went to Guadalajara! I had to think, but I believe I was there the summer of 2002, so a bit before you. I started college in fall of 2001, and went to Mexico that following summer. My program was actually through the University of Arizona, even though I didn’t go there. So I was the only UW Madison student in the bunch.
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Well, I am an immigration lawyer and I agree that you would have been a really good immigration lawyer, Kae! Honestly the language ability is so helpful–like you, I didn’t start Spanish until college and then I studied abroad in Venezuela my junior year and I got good pretty fast. Then I have always used it for work one way or another since then, although lately I’ve changed the focus of my practice a bit and I have a lot more African clients now so I am not using Spanish quite as often as I did for many years. Now that I’m branching out into speakers of other languages I am realizing how nice it is to be able to communicate with clients directly in a language we both speak. I will say that immigration law is a fun area to practice in because my clients are wonderful and truly appreciative of the work I do for them–you really feel like you’re having an impact on people’s lives in a very meaningful way. But on the other hand immigration law can be a frustrating area to practice in because it’s a very detail-oriented and fast-changing area of law and can also be subject to political whims, etc.
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Ohhhh that’s so cool that you’re an immigration lawyer!!! I really think I would have loved that career. I do occasionally wonder if it’s too late to go back!! But honestly… my current job has a lot going for it. Especially as the boys approach college age, if I continue in this fairly flexible, WFH role, it will be pretty SWEET once I don’t have kids home to worry about anymore! I mean, I could even go work remote from an Airbnb somewhere fun if I wanted! Whereas the idea of going back to law school, then probably being in office on a strict schedule, with clients, etc…. Oof. That’d be a big change! 😉 As much as I think that career has always “spoken” to me, I’m not sure it’d really be worth it at this point. My nursing career has twisted and turned now enough into the Quality/ Data side of healthcare where I’m actually using more of some other skills that I think are more up my alley vs the “science/medical” stuff that I’ve never been that drawn to.
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Went to UW Madison too! ‘08 marketing and supply chain 😉
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Oh how funny!! We definitely overlapped! I was there fall of ’01 through May 2006. 🙂
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this is such an interesting post and the comments. I feel like the choice of career/major all comes with a lot of luck and timing. I studied economics because I loved economics in my high school. Then I studied computer science at night because half day of school work was not busy enough for me at the time. I didn’t use any of my computer science degree after I finished it but my college economics marked my career path big time. My teachers were wonderful and the vice president of my university supported me to pursue phd in the US (i was studying in argentina). I never thought what to work on after my ph.D because I was in it for the love of economics. Obviously, now I’m benefitting from those 5 years of hard work.
I’m anxious about what my girls will have to do when they are in high school. Higher edu is so competitive these days. Will learn from you in few years.
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That’s so interesting! I knew you did a PhD in the U.S. but wasn’t sure where you did your undergrad studies. Sounds like it was the right fit for you, as you seem really happy in your Economics career now!
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I am similar to Lisa in that my parents also said that I could go where I wanted but that I would have to figure out how to pay for it. I went to a “local” school, which happened to be CSU, Sacramento and majored in Physical Therapy. However, I was not into it, so I took two years off to travel and live life and then went back to school at San Francisco State University with major in Kinesiology, which was not a change in major, just a change in what they called it, which is a bit strange since I went from one state school to another. Also, little did I know but not all of the classes transferred over! I ended up finishing with that major as it was not a great idea to make a late change, but I did a volunteering stint at a PT clinic and I hated it, so I never did any PT work in the end! I was always good at math so finally decided to try the finance industry which was a much better fit in the end.
My opinion is that college makes you learn how to be on time and get things done and dedicate yourself to a goal, but in the end, is definitely not the be all, end all and you can get a career in whatever you want if you work hard enough for it. That is the bottom line. Many coders did not go to college at all and they are super successful!
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So how did you end up working in finance then? Were you able to get hired and learn on the job just with your Kinesiology degree? Or did you go back to school for a Master’s or something in Finance?? I am always so fascinated by people that change careers and majors a lot as it just seems overwhelming and so complicated sometimes.
I feel like the major/ university on the resume is important basically for that first job. After that, things can open up some depending on work experience, connections, networking, luck…. it’s so funny how people’s paths can end up straying so far from where they first started.
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I worked at Nordstrom to put myself through school, which is obviously not in finance or kinesiology! Once I was done, I realized I did not love PT work, and I went and worked for the government for 8 years as a Financial Analyst. I did not go back to school, but once I was done with government work, I worked in insurance briefly, which I did not love, until I landed a job in Finance!
I interviewed a lot of people when I was in my Finance role and I know that the major may matter in some cases, but for us we were more interested in whether or not they were hard working, if the personality worked, and if they were willing to learn. We actually hired a couple of Economics majors, but we also had a former West Point grad, a computer engineering grad, and a Poly Sci grad!
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Kae, you are so right- elementary school goes by very slowly. It seems like you’re in those years for such a long time. Middle school goes by quicker, and then high school FLIES. I’m trying to hold on and appreciate every moment, but my daughter’s freshman year is almost over! Sob. Oh, and college- forget it. I literally feel like I dropped my son off at his freshman dorm YESTERDAY, and next year he’ll be a senior.
Anyway- oof. For us the college process was VERY stressful, but that’s partially because it was during Covid. We couldn’t go visit any of the schools, and auditions that normally would have been held in person were done either by a video recording or by zoom. But I think it would have been stressful no matter what. There’s no “early decision” when you’re going for music- as it relies heavily on your audition, which takes place in January-February- and my son was also relying on scholarships for the schools he really wanted. Then he got rejected from his dream school (sob!) and didn’t end up making his final decision till the very end of April- like one day before the deadline. So, yeah- it was a really stressful time. Not looking forward to that again! Ethan and Angie are the same age (both freshmen this year) so we’ll be going through the college process together. GULP.
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Oh my gosh, I obviously knew that high school seniors were seriously impacted by all the COVID stuff, but I never really thought about college interviews, auditions, etc!! That does sound terribly stressful. And that’s so sad your son didn’t get his dream school!!! UGH I would be so heartbroken for my child.
Lucky for you, you get to do it all over again in a few years, lol! Well, as you say, we can be moral support, in it together! 😉
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SOBBING at that paragraph about how quickly the time goes! So true! I can’t believe my tiny baby is beginning middle school next year!
It is fascinating to me that you learned Spanish so quickly. That is such a wonderful gift. Languages come fairly easy to my husband too, but it is a slog for me.
I majored in English with a minor in Creative Writing. My goal has always been to be a writer, and English seemed like the best fit. I didn’t love it — it was super competitive and while I enjoy reading and analyzing texts, I didn’t love having to read some of the classics that I wouldn’t have picked on my own. I mean, it’s good that I read them — I like having that knowledge, but I didn’t enjoy it. If I were to go back, I think I would major in chemistry. I was discouraged from going that route because math isn’t my strongest subject, but oh! how I love chemistry! I think it would be so interesting to be a chemical engineer or a pharmacologist or a food scientist or something.
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I would not have guessed that you love chemistry!! I am not sure why, but I think I just knew you had gone an English/literature type route and figured that meant you weren’t as into the sciences!
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Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for several months (linked from Elisabeth’s or SHU’s at one point) but don’t think I’ve commented yet. 🙂
I went to Clemson University and majored in animal science. Absolutely loved my time there. Worked in “industry” (at a resort’s horse barn) for six months before returning to Clemson to get my Masters in teaching. After teaching middle school science for five years, we moved to Utah so that I could get my PhD in animal science at Utah State. I defended in December, but started working as an assistant professor (in animal sciences) in the SUNY system in central New York. My path was definitely not what I planned back in undergrad, but it’s worked out well!
My husband is an Army vet who majored in psychology – also at Clemson – before becoming a paramedic. He went to PA school in Utah and is now an ER PA!
I think animal science students are fairly unique in that they tend to stay on that track for their entire undergrad “careers” – this was the case at Clemson, USU, and where I’m currently working. But I also think that them keeping an open mind as to where they go/what they do post-grad. A decent number of pre-vet students don’t end up getting into vet school and then have to make decisions when they’re in the middle of a high-stress situation.
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Hi! WOW this is sooo interesting!! So so cool. I would never have thought to major in animal science I don’t think. Haha. But that sounds fascinating. I went through a phase of wanting to be a vet when I was little but never gave any thought to other non-vet animal related careers. 🙂
And your husband had such an interesting path too! What a diverse background he had. A PA is a great job and I bet he brings so much to his patient care with the different experiences he had/previous studies.
I have been blown away by what incredibly interesting people are apparently reading my blog! So many different paths people have taken. I love it.
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Hello from a long-time reader, first-time commenter! (In fact, this is my first time ever commenting on any blog.) But I’ve read all your posts for the past few years and nod along and comment in my head all the time, probably because we seem to have a lot in common — 40’s, professional who works from home (mostly), married, mom of 2 teens who keep us busy with their sports schedules, love to read/exercise/travel, struggle to keep up with digital photos, basement clutter, have too many clothes but nothing to wear, etc, LOL.
I DO have a senior (and a sophomore), and the college search has been quite a journey trying to support her in finding a great fit academically, athletically, and socially. She wanted a big school in a small city / college town with strong academics, especially biology and chemistry, and a D1 women’s rowing team. She’s made her decision and is headed to . . . University of Wisconsin-Madison! This choice is exciting and novel for our family and community of friends because we live in the Northern Virginia suburbs outside Washington DC and have zero ties to Wisconsin. We had never been there, don’t know anyone in the entire state. Your blog is it 🙂 But she fell in love with the school and Madison when we visited, and she’s now committed to row for UW and will major in chemistry. We’re so happy for her and looking forward to many visits, but for now I’m just savoring these last few months of having her home with us and our little family of 4 under one roof. Go Badgers!
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Oh my gosh, I love this so much! Thank you for commenting!!! How EXCITING for your daughter!! The campus at UW is so great. Madison is a very passionate and dedicated college town with a ton of loyalty to the Badgers and the university. I think she will love it. It’s great for both athletics and academics and it sounds like it will be a perfect fit! I am more than happy to be a local contact point if she ever experiences some urgent need of any kind! (I am sure she wouldn’t be weirded out by some random internet lady reaching out 😂😂). Feel free to email me if you want to connect more, just in case! Happy to also try to give some local recs if you ever come visit and want to check out the area 🙂
And it made my day to hear that you’ve been reading along all this time and relating to me so well! These types of comments give so much meaning to my little blogging hobby 💕💕
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