I'm kinda stressing out, you see we have this thing where before we go into high school we have to choose our major and well that would just happen to be next week. I have no clue what to do. I want to major in Performing Arts, but you see everyone says that thats not a good major and with how smart I am I should go into computer programing and science you know crap like that. My parents have been saying that working with computers is a much more stable job then acting or something like that. I know I still have 4 years of high school to go but still I need to be prepared and I just don't know. Any advice? Thanks.
Dude, I hate schools like that. I remember something in the aims dealing with that. I always thought they just made it up. Look at your life, what do you enjoy doing? Will you honestly be happy sitting there doing stuff that you hate? Go with the drama, even though you'll be getting plenty of that in highschool...
I would say do what you want to do. If you don't like working with computers (beside the basics) you won't want to work with them. You will never become really good at it, and you'll more then likely end up hating them. My Dad and brother both tried to teach me to weld. I wanted to learn because it's easy to find work as a welder. After a summer of working at it. My Dad told me to stop. I didn't like the heat, the flame, the noise, and he saw that. He explained that I could become a passable welder but I'd never be good at it. It just held no appeal to me beyond a paycheque. If you push yourself to work with computers you'll most likely end up the same way. Passable but nothing more. So explain to your parents that as much as you would like to follow their advice, it's best to do what you want to do. Good luck.
yeah but you see the main thing that worries me is the drama classes. I mean I've always wanted to do drama but our school is so small and crappy we don't have a drama class. I'd have to go through and do this thing called distance learning which from what I've heard is some video thing. Other than that acting just seems very awsome. Another thing is that I love computers, and I'm very good with them but the thing that turns me off majoring in that is I just couldn't bare having to go do the same boring job every day of my life. I mean with acting its in a way something new all the time. My parents main concern is that being in the town we are in me becoming an actress would be nearly impossible. This town offers no opportunity at all. So they just don't want me to waste my life. They atleast want me to have something to fall back on. I told them that I could always write, you know because I love writing but then they told me that I needed and accutal job to fall back on not something stupid. But I think I'll go with the performing arts though I belive I've made up my mind now though I still have doubts but I think I'll do it. hehe I'm just completely lost but thanks for the advice and if any one else has anything usefull to say YOu've got until wensday to say it.
I truly believe that before anyone can make wise choices pertaining to their future they first need to discover their passions and talents. Go with your instincts and what feels right for you. Take the opportunity to try everything you're interested in. Employers aren't specifically obssesed with the amount of education you've completed. They want employees with great character. Who you are as a person, what you have to offer to others, your hobbies, your interests, and how effectively you can work with a team of people are all very important attributes sought after today in the competitive job market. Be conscious of what careers fascinate you, but don't stress yourself out!
Oh, man, distance learning for drama class? ...that doesn't sound so good... (It seems like it might be kind of like the thing where, if you really like hamburgers, and you're in a Chinese restaurant that also serves hamburgers, you're probably better off ordering the Broccoli Beef --- you wanna go with a place's strengths.) Is there some way that you could take the computer classes, and still keep the drama option open? Like major in computer science and take drama electives, or vice versa? (In college, I was an Engineering major and took most of my electives in Russian & Russian History. The Russian's never been much help to me professionally, but I did get pursue my passion I mean, you love computers, you're good with them, and the program your school has got for them is decent enough, right? And every actor, every actor, needs a day job. Traditionally it's waiting tables, but computer stuff pays better (and is easier on your feet Also, I can't help thinking that there must be some cool job niches out there in the field where they combine live action actors with computer animation (I can't even think what that's called right now). Someone who knew their computers and could act might really be able to get somewhere with that. I know I already sound like a big bucket of cold water , but acting can start to seem like the same thing every day, too: how many toothpaste commericals can you audition for before they all start to run together? My real opinon is that having to declare a major in high school is a load of bunk: you're what, 14? 15? and you're supposed to be making career decisions for the rest of your life?! Phooey on that - what you're supposed to be doing is learning that blue eye shadow is one of those good things that it's extremely easy to get too much of, and lots of other things of that type and importance. Just my opinions, which are worth approximately what you paid for them, Evelyn
Alright that changes things. I've done distance ed, and if you like working alone its pretty good. But that was for history and political science. I'm really not sure how drama could be done through distance ed effectively. Not without top of the line video equipment, and even then it would be weird Could you do English or something similar instead? It will help with the writing aspect at least, and your teachers might be willing to focus more on the dramatic arts side of it if you discuss it with them. You could also tell your parents that this will let you get into the liberal arts, to become a teacher, historian, even the government, if acting doesn't work out.
I think that with it being distance learning you will probably struggle. When I started 6th form, I wanted to take French and Spanish but due to a timetable clash I couldn't and so decided to take Spanish at 6th form and French via distance learning... it didn't take me all that long to realise that learning a language by yourself is very very difficult. Which is why i'm now enrolled at college and 6th form... I go to 6th form Monday through Friday and I go to college to study French for 3 hours a week as an evening course. Now, I'm not saying that distance learning can't work because for the right people it can. However, this depends on how motivated you are, how intelligent you are to begin with (if you gave a distance learning pack for french to someone who'd never learnt any french it would be virtually impossible) and how much support you get. I personally feel that it would be a good idea to (as mentioned by somebody else) choose your major in something else you wouldn't mind doing - perhaps computer science, but only if you could live with doing that - don't choose it to please other people - and then choose electives in drama related subjects. I don't know what your local area is like but is there an acting class/school/club you could join outside of school to practice?
My dad was (and still is a computer programmer) and from what I've heard of his work it is anything but repetetive. If you are good enough at your job the company will send you off to some nice places with your collegues. They stayed at a hotel in Liverpool for a considerable time and although they had to work most of they day they always found some way to entertain themselves. I say, go for the computer course. Thinking about it, computers will most likely always be here and it won't be hard to find a job involving them. You could always persue your drama interests outside of school. Perhaps join a performing arts group. =)
Even the computer science classes here suck. I think even with that there are a few things I would be having to take over distance learning. This school don't have crap, to be truthful I think the only good program we have at this school is athletics and I'm not athletic. Some one also suggested english, according to the book they gave us even that requires some drama class, and a few other things this school dosn't have. There are also no other drama clubs or anything like that I could do after school. I've said it a million times but no one will listen to me. this school and town suck. But its not really the school's fault our chorus teacher was explaining this to us. You see, there are three schools(well 3 high schools) in our county. The other two schools are more focused on then us. The district just doesn't provide our school with any funding to get stuff like a drama class or anything. But I've been hearing some pretty good rumors that their trying to get an arts program down here I mean just this year we got chorus so maybe next year it will be drama. I can only hope.
