How did you decide on what to study?

Akasha

Akasha

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2014
Messages
9,579
Reaction score
3,152
Location
Fourways
As per title, how did you?

Did you do an aptitude test or did you just go into something for the passion/money?

I'm asking because at 22, I have no idea what I wanna do with my life. I know I need to make money and get into a field I can survive in. I've looked into HR but honestly, I think I'd go to jail for killing someone if I had to deal with the constant stupidity. Finance, same thing. I haven't really looked into anything IT related as I don't really know people who work with IT (developing/programming).

Would appreciate advice :)
 
Have you been interested in anything specific after completing school? I assume you took 3 years off before thinking of studying. I took some time off and did free internships just to see what the people do at their jobs.
 
I was brought up with computers and took a natural interest.

And thats how i chose my career path. Whatever you are good at, do that.
 
Sebulba said:
Have you been interested in anything specific after completing school? I assume you took 3 years off before thinking of studying. I took some time off and did free internships just to see what the people do at their jobs.
Click to expand...

I didn't finish matric, I would've been way more damaged if I finished the last 2 years being constantly bullied. I studied beauty for 2 years instead and have a diploma thingy which I'm never gonna use because after doing a very nasty bikini wax, I realized that touching people isn't something I wanna do. So that was basically 2 years wasted. I've been doing admin/reception for the last year and I've come to realize that I also hate phones. And that I'm a very difficult person :D
 
Software development is definitely a good way to money. I suggest trying a simple online Python course or tutorial to see if it clicks. Personally, I taught myself programming as a kid, and since then it's always been what I wanted to do (and it is what I now do). That said, I studied with people who had never written a line of code before they started studying CS, who became very successful developers/scientists later on.
 
I've always been interested nin electronics so decided to study that. Six months into my N-Dip, I dropped out because I hated all the calculations and decided to do IT.

Well, after 11 years I'm still in IT. :)
 
Akasha said:
As per title, how did you?

Did you do an aptitude test or did you just go into something for the passion/money?

I'm asking because at 22, I have no idea what I wanna do with my life. I know I need to make money and get into a field I can survive in. I've looked into HR but honestly, I think I'd go to jail for killing someone if I had to deal with the constant stupidity. Finance, same thing. I haven't really looked into anything IT related as I don't really know people who work with IT (developing/programming).

Would appreciate advice :)
Click to expand...

For anybodies advice to have merit in your life - It might be prudent to mention what you love. Music? Animals? Outdoors? Socializing? No point studing IT if you have a love of the outdoors and want to treat sick dolphins in the Bahamas. #JustSaying.

Wherein lies tho passion?
 
After my dad tought me how to program basic on a zx spectrum, I knew ...
 
I went for an aptitude test in high school. What a waste that was. They pretty much gave me general areas, which are all very diverse. Finance, engineering and IT, for example, have such a large scope of possible professions.

I chose the CA (SA) route after I went to a career expo thing when I was in matric. I did so mostly due to the diverse nature of the profession. I get bored pretty easily and need to be constantly challenged, so I fell in love with the sheer amount of variety the profession provides.

I'm finishing up with uni this year so I don't really have a taste of what actual work is like. Getting mixed reactions from friends doing articles, some love it and some hate it. Apparently it's nothing like what we study an campus.

I've enjoyed the stuff we've learnt though, especially the managerial accounting side. I like analyzing businesses, trying to optimize them and things like that.

My passion has always been IT related, but for some reason I can't seem to take it seriously as a profession. I enjoy having it as my hobby and I really don't want to mess with that.
 
Akasha said:
I didn't finish matric
Click to expand...

That's gonna be a bit of a problem if you intend to study at a university. My cuz dropped out in Grade 11 and is now completing his matric at an FET college. The even offer some form of engineering that he's going to do once the matric is completed. I'm not too sure how it all works, maybe it's something to look at.

Also, do you have someone to fund your study's? Your parents, family or potential employers are possible options if you can't do it yourself. Working and studying at the same time is possible, but it's really difficult.

There's gotta be something that drives you though? What do you enjoy? I see you said music and TV series earlier, but I don't really count those as everyone our age does. Unless you plan to actually go into those fields, being a producer or writer for example.

What subjects did you excel in or enjoy at school? That can help in determining a career as well.
 
Also, one last thing. If you're looking for job security, probably best to avoid MTN for now.
 
Find what you love and do that.

...

or you could get a taste of the real world, and realise that people can't always do what they're passionate about, and that sometimes you just don't have a single area of passion that can guide your career path.

If this is the case, find something you can tolerate and work hard at it. Put in long hours of studying (or work) and make getting ahead your passion. Go for something with growth, after all where does a receptionist see herself in 20 years time? (no offence meant, more of a point to ponder).
 
Shalin_ZN said:
Also, do you have someone to fund your study's? Your parents, family or potential employers are possible options if you can't do it yourself. Working and studying at the same time is possible, but it's really difficult.

There's gotta be something that drives you though? What do you enjoy? I see you said music and TV series earlier, but I don't really count those as everyone our age does. Unless you plan to actually go into those fields, being a producer or writer for example.

What subjects did you excel in or enjoy at school? That can help in determining a career as well.
Click to expand...

Nope, gotta pay for my studies myself. And mainly English/Afrikaans. I would love to teach languages but 1. I'm not 100% at it either (better than my English teacher at school was though :D) and 2. I don't have the patience to teach.

TehStranger said:
If this is the case, find something you can tolerate and work hard at it. Put in long hours of studying (or work) and make getting ahead your passion. Go for something with growth, after all where does a receptionist see herself in 20 years time? (no offence meant, more of a point to ponder).
Click to expand...

None taken, that's exactly why I wanna get out of it. I don't enjoy it and I'm not going places (definitely not at the company I am now)
 
Akasha said:
Music, series and being left alone mainly. I think I'm fairly okay with computers. I don't really get along with people
Click to expand...

Why don't you create a volume of music compilations while living as a hermit in the drakensburg mountains!
 
For the time being, why not work your ass off at your current job and ask to take on more responsibility (ie. try out other areas, you don't have to go full on, but just get some exposure/be part of the team)?

Over time you can get promoted and maybe along the way you'll find something you'll enjoy.

Not everyone will find something they love, just find something you don't hate at the very minimum.
 
Our company is on short time currently so there's really not much to do. I'm helping the warehouse/production as much as I can. They also seem to run out of work to give me :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X