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Soledad
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09 Jul 2010, 7:34 pm

Yea so now I'm visiting my family and my uncle who's nice, says that I ought to get me a job in computers because I'm good at them. I am, I don't have a passion for them. I have a passion for languages. I don't worry about the stuff they say because I care what they think, I worry about what they say because I fear they may be right, and maybe learning languages might not get me a job, and maybe I'll be better off doing computers. idk. I dont really like sitting in class doing computers, I like languages.

so should I stick to languages? I know I ask this all the time, but just bare with me, I'm starting college.



gardengirl414
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09 Jul 2010, 8:21 pm

Maybe a dual major/dual degree in languages?
IMO, the ability to speak several languages (depending on which ones - some obviously are more marketable than others) is a huge leg up on the competition, so to speak.
I say study the languages that you love so much - and study something else as well. Maybe minor in computer science or programming. The one thing that I can say about selecting a career is DO WHAT YOU LOVE! All the money in the world won't make much of a difference if you're miserable all day, hating what you're doing.

I am an engineer in the US, with global responsibilities- I speak only English and a very small amount of Spanish. I hire people with the language skills that are needed in each country to make the whole thing work (in this case, some have more than one language that they speak, with a focus on energy & environmental).

It may take a year or two longer to get both degrees, but you're young and have SO many opportunities! The future is yours, make it what you want (can you tell that I am also a volunteer mentor with a goal setting program for high school students? Sorry for the "rah, rah" speech!).



Last edited by gardengirl414 on 09 Jul 2010, 9:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

CTBill
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09 Jul 2010, 8:25 pm

Do what you love and you will likely succeed at it.

Do what you hate and you'll probably fail, regret the years you could have spent pursuing your talent, and forever blame those who dissuaded you (family in my case, haha).



manifoldrob
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09 Jul 2010, 8:34 pm

That is a tough question. My knee jerk reaction is to say do what you love. I had a friend who loved languages, and she got a degree in languages and got jobs translating and got a job teaching in Japan. She doesn't make a lot of money but loves to travel.

That being said, I work with computers, I got my degree in physics, but then I love working with computers. Doing what I love is really important to me.

You might be able to swing a double major. I would talk to advisors at whatever schools you are interested in. They are very helpful and have a good feel from what works in the real world.



Molecular_Biologist
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09 Jul 2010, 11:30 pm

Why do you need a degree in languages?

College is perhaps the most expensive, and least efficient way of learning a foreign language.

Languages are things you can learn by yourself without having to pay someone tens of thousands of dollars in tuition to give you a piece of paper (diploma) saying that you are good at it.

My advice: choose a major that will make you money (computers), and continue learning languages as a hobby.



Soledad
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10 Jul 2010, 12:54 am

Molecular_Biologist wrote:
Why do you need a degree in languages?

College is perhaps the most expensive, and least efficient way of learning a foreign language.

Languages are things you can learn by yourself without having to pay someone tens of thousands of dollars in tuition to give you a piece of paper (diploma) saying that you are good at it.

My advice: choose a major that will make you money (computers), and continue learning languages as a hobby.


Thanks for the advice. What type of jobs are out there for molecular biologists?



Leiservampir
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10 Jul 2010, 4:00 am

I have always been told to do what I like doing.
If you think about what job you're going to get at the end and do something you dislike bcause of this, you'll never finish it.

My mum tried doing teaching because she thought she wanted to be a teacher. It didn't last. Then about 3 years ago she went back to college to try construction, as she loves old houses and building programs.
She loved it.
She got further on it that teaching, that's for sure! She only stopped because we moved to a different country.

Do what you love, and if you love both, try to get something that covers both!


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