What Do you Do with a BA in...

English? History? Sociology? Or if you're me- Psychology?

CONGRATULATIONS! You've graduated!

Now what indeed...

If you're like me, then you picked your major because you were passionate about the subject-matter not really taking into consideration all of the steps that it would take for you to pursue your dream- the job where you get paid to do what you love. Isn't that what we all strive for here in the U.S.? Getting paid to do what we love and not just something to pay the bills?

OK... Maybe I'm just too much of a romantic and not enough of a "practical thinker". Am I alone here? I know someone who is getting her degree in accounting even though she hates math and is actually quite bad at it (but apparently you don't need to be a whiz at math to be an accountant?! Imagine that...)

Anyway, the point is she is getting her BA in Accounting because it is a degree that opens up a lot of options for jobs so she can build herself a future quicker. She has never had a desire to be an accountant, but, she has thought logically about things and has decided that it is the best maneuver for her. I can see how that is a smart move, I'm not stupid, I have my BA for goodness sake! However, that line of practical thinking is simply unappealing to me! Call me spoiled if you want, but, God forbid that I want a job that I look forward to going to in the morning. I don't want to become my mother who is a CFP because she is actually good at math and logically it was a good fit for her but has no passion and does not take any joy from her job.

Yes... I am one of those people who wants to feel like they are making some sort of impact in this world...

What do I know? I want to help people- how? I'm not quite sure... What am I doing now? I'm working at a job that I actually do like, but, has virtually nothing to do with Psychology and doesn't require any type of degree whatsoever. I'm postponing going to grad school (much to my mother's disappointment), because nearing the end of my undergraduate degree earning road I suddenly realized that I'm not positive which path to take for my future.

If my mother had her way, I would have become an RN years ago as the demand for nurses continues to grow and grow with all those baby-boomers getting older and older and older... I mean, who wouldn't want to be a nurse?! Lots of hours available to work, good pay, good benefits, high demand! Haven't you seen Grey's Anatomy?! Don't you want to go to work every day where the motto is "It's a beautiful day to save lives"? The fact that I could also meet my very own Dr. McDreamy is very much a plus in her book.

You could say that my mom has my "best interests" at heart... I guess... But you don't know my mom- yet anyway. If you ask anyone that knows me if they could see me as a nurse, you know what their reaction would be?

Yes, being a nurse would allow me to help people, but, not in the way that I want to or feel capable to do. Needles? Memorizing the medical words for the different parts of my brain and bones and... stuff? Blood?! No, thank you... I'm a talker, I'm a writer, I'm a good listener, I'm not a nurse. Meeting a doctor to marry, on the other hand, that wouldn't be so bad; however, again, my mom and I wouldn't agree on who my idea of Dr. McDreamy is...

Hellooooooo nurse! I mean, doctor. I mean, who cares?! It's Olivia Wilde!

But I digress... Call me selfish, but, I'm trying to find the right path for me. We live in an individualistic society after all, right? Yes, I want to make my family proud, but, I'm not going to become a dentist after earning my BA in Psychology (yes, an actual friend of mine's cousin did this to appease his family).

So, what am I going to do? Work, look for a new job, figure out what path is right for me, and write this blog. Don't worry, it'll be more than just hot pictures of Olivia Wilde. For instance, for all of your Sociology/Psychology majors out there, did you know that there are jobs where you can actually be involved to help people with only your BA in Psychology? I'm currently in the hiring process for one right now! Where did I find this job?

I found it at http://www.socialservice.com/

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