Thoughts on Education and Career in My Life and Times of 23

The first thing I ever wanted to be was a scientist. When the concept of “what do you want to be when you grow up” was introduced to my young, impressionable mind I gravitated towards the field of science and, even if I’m not a scientist now at 23, the subject still sparks that interest and I often wonder how my life would've been if I had chosen that path in the many crossroads I had encountered in my past. But then again doesn't everybody wonder this exact same thing?

I wanted to be different things growing up; I think I did quite a few career changes in my youth and most of them were variations of that scientist dream. I wanted to be a biologist because the science of life seemed like this vast adventure that I would never get enough of. There was also a time I wanted to be what I called then a “snake scientist” and further research (through books because I had no concept of the internet then) gave me a name for the profession: Herpetologist. Perhaps the interest began when I watched the first Anaconda movie, but snakes just fascinated me. Suddenly I was pouring over books about snakes and for a while I was content to reply that I was going to be a snake scientist when asked what I now realize is quite a complicated question to ask a child.

Delving away from the recurring theme, I also wanted to become a teacher and at some point a librarian, reasoning that it would be an apt career for someone who loves books as much as I do.

The science theme made a comeback as high school rolled in. Sophomore year I wanted to became a zoologist. A broader field than herpetology and at that time I had developed a growing interest in animals and I just thought it would so amazing to work with these creatures, knowing more about them, and perhaps discovering new species as I progress in the career. But the whole scientist thing and all its variations were never realized because unbeknownst to me computers would take over my interests.

Everyone takes Computer class here in the Philippines; I don’t know how education systems work in other parts of the world but we have Computer class. In high school that meant basic programming languages and we had Visual Basic, HTML, CSS, and some others. I did really well in Computer class, so well that I became convinced (disillusioned) that I could rock it out as a job and that I would do so well. Demand for Information Technology graduates was very high as the industry was booming and I was told that the pay in that line of work was very substantial. Those reasons and much prodding from my mother I became set in taking up Information Technology for my degree. There I was, making what I now see as a misinformed choice because I was under the impression that I had a deadline in my decision-making and if I didn’t meet that deadline then things would fall apart.

High school is very crucial, I think, here in the Philippines where the culture really values education, especially higher education, and when I say education I mean attending an institution where you supposedly get said education and the more prestige this institution has, the better. If you don’t go to college or drop out of school, you will be identified as someone who will get nowhere in life, which I think is a ridiculous school of thought because college isn’t everything but more on that later.

High school is one of those crossroads I mentioned earlier. This is where you choose what you’re going to be doing for the rest of your life as far as career goes and there is a stigma if you don’t do so well in the face of this period in your life where decisions seemed like everything. If you are set and sure of the path you are going to take and you know that you will see it through the very end, that everything is crystal clear, then good for you and also lucky you. This is not the case for everyone. Most people have a harder time with this. Some people like me ended up with a choice that they regret but when picking between Road A and Road B it seemed like I had chosen the best path.

As you near the culmination of high school which starts at junior year through senior year, people (see: parents) put a lot of pressure on what degree you are going to complete and what university or college you’re going to be attending for the next four years. This is taken very seriously because, in my opinion, college is seen as the be all and end all of this chapter of your life. Succinctly put, you have to get into a college otherwise you will become a disappointment. That is the kind of pressure you have in this type of situation and this is the how high the pedestal is for college and higher education in general.

The choice was made and it was Information Technology. I was psyched about it. Knowing what I did then, I thought I was all set and I just had to get through the college and everything else will fall into place. It was comforting being so sure of the direction I was taking. I wanted that security, I didn’t want to be floundering about still trying to figure out things because there was that ominous deadline of when you should graduate college and that it was only acceptable to be in college for four years. I was very optimistic of the degree I had chosen. I genuinely thought that it would be really exciting and so different from all other jobs out there because computers and new technology were fascinating, growing at such an exponential rate and the idea of being a part of that was so appealing to me. Plus, I had this idea implanted in my consciousness that I would make a lot of money in this field.

The first two years of college seemed to fly by. I was taking the basic subjects for my degree and I was focusing on new college experiences and forming new relationships. I didn’t necessarily breeze through my subjects but I could keep up with my studies and my grades were okay. It wasn’t until third year that everything took a 180° turn and I became off kilter. Major, very important subjects became harder to grasp. The programming languages that I thought I was so good at threw me off guard; what I thought I knew back in high school computer class became irrelevant and I realized how difficult it was, that I merely scratch the surface of this monster. Programming, as it turned out, was a beast I was never familiar with.

I was floored. I was frantic. I was becoming conscious of the mistake of not being more careful with my decisions in the past and not letting myself be informed properly of what I was getting into. I was in the middle of my collegiate career and I knew that shifting courses was not an option. It would disappoint my parents and it would’ve meant that I wasted two years, not to mention changing degrees would cost more money. Also, that would mean more years stuck in college.

So I stuck by it and I tried to look at the bright side. Programming wasn’t the only thing that my degree had to offer; Information Technology presented many avenues of professions that I thought I could be interested in. I tried to focus on subjects like Networking and Database Management, which I liked enough but there wasn’t that spark and certainty that I felt when I was younger and dreaming about what I would become when I grew up.

I was frustrated. I didn’t know what to do. I blamed myself for not trying hard enough with my subjects. I blamed my professors for not being able to teach me well enough and get me engaged again in my degree. I blamed my naivety on the whole spectrum of college life.

On-the-job training just made me even more miserable. It made me realize how unsuited I was in this industry I was supposedly getting ready for. It was glaringly obvious to me that I would be in no way involved in Information Technology after I graduate. What was I to do then? I initially had no idea. I fretted so much and I was trying to figure out what to do next. But then the company I interned for actually presented an opportunity for me.

A supervising employee in the company mentioned that they needed a web writer and I thought maybe I could write or in this case web write for a living. I was shocked and excited because it would mean that work and something that I enjoy extremely would be one and the same.  Who wouldn’t want that?

Writing is something I have always loved doing. I did it well and often but really only for my leisure. Sure, I would share my work to other people, family and friends mostly and whoever would stumble upon my blog, but I never considered it as a career path and it seems ridiculous thinking back because I took immense joy in doing it. How I never thought of a career in writing is beyond me and I wished that I just realized things sooner so I could save myself from all the anxiety I went through my last couple years of college.

Graduation couldn’t come soon enough and three months out of college I was working for the company I interned for as a writer. It is not to say that I didn’t have any reservations. Writing for myself was one thing and not having a formal education in it gave me doubts in my capabilities. Yet I found myself actually learning new things as I was working and the fact that I enjoyed it made my outlook in things better. I was growing as a professional and as a person and more importantly I was finding my niche. I may not have gotten a degree in writing but I was gaining something more important: industry experience. I basically took my talent and turned into a worthwhile profession and I try to learn everyday because it will only further my career. I make sure that my experiences are profound and that I interact with people that can impart knowledge; it is important to know more and use that knowledge in the work that you do.

Am I earning less than I would have if I had gone the IT route? I can’t tell. But I will say that I would rather be happy and content with a job that pays less than be utterly miserable in a high-paying profession.

Is working as writer all that good? No. No job is without its downsides and it is more important that you deal with unsavory situations to the best of your abilities. I’m not going to lie and say that I have the best job in the world because there are some days I just want to turn in my resignation and be done with it all. But I love what I do and I owe it to myself not to give it so easily just because things can turn sour at any moment. 

Industry experience can trump formal college education. I’m not saying you should take out college as an option but I believe that it is not for everyone. In some careers, you learn more by actually doing the work than sitting in a classroom and listening to a lecture. Experience, I believe, is the better teacher. I have learned more working as a writer than I ever will in a classroom and maybe the same goes for other people in other careers. Sometimes education is not synonymous to learning.

I know that it is not an easy concept to grasp given Philippine society’s stand on education. In other countries, where you got your degree or if you have a degree is not necessarily important; in the Philippines, it is the top prerequisite for most jobs. But just because you graduate from a very prestigious school with top grades and amazing referrals does not mean that you are the best candidate for any job. Just the same, an individual could do what another can professionally only everything he knows is self-taught or learned beyond the walls of an educational institution.

So what’s next for me then?

After all that I’ve said about industry experience and education, it may sound like I am contradicting myself by saying that I plan to go back to school and get a Master’s degree. As much as I wished that it didn’t matter, the fact still remains that if I want to climb the success ladder, I need that piece of paper that tells everyone that I have completed another four years or so of education from a certified university. If want a Doctorate, I’ll repeat the same process. I remain optimistic. I’m better equipped to make the right decisions this time. I have to take care in deciding which Master’s I’m going to take and which university has the best program for it. Unlike what happened when I was an undergrad, this time I’ll do my research and not rush.

In this last bit I would say that everyone should give college a lot of thought. Take care in figuring out if it’s for you or not; the best way to do that is to actually give the old college a try. Before all that, consider what you love doing and see where it could take you professionally. Make well informed decisions through research and asking actual professionals from the fields you are interested in. It is also very important that you don’t let other people influence that decisions you make for your future, even if it is your parents. This is your future career we are talking about; YOURS not theirs.

College and career choices may kick your ass but you’ll be damned if you don’t get back up and find the right path for you. So don’t give up.

Pressure

Blogger's note: I wrote this weeks ago and just got around to posting it now. I've been so remiss in writing and posting. I will, however, make it up soon. I've a few writings done.

If I sniff the air, I get the smell of pressure brewing in the distance. Like a latent storm waiting to rain on your parade. It is this presence you are very much aware is charging towards you but because there is quite a distance between you and it, you put all your faculties into preparing yourself for its onslaught.

Pressure and I are old friends. I'm also well acquainted with its siblings Stress and Anxiety and I've had brushes with a cousin named Insanity. Over the years I've done battle against these ghastly forces and sometimes I win, sometimes I don't. The last skirmish left me wary of myself and what submitting to pressure can do to you.

Now is another battle to be won and frankly I'm a bit nervous. But I think that's good because I believe it will only add to my being cautious in how I will tackle what lies ahead.

Prioritization will be an ally. What is more important to get done? What can wait? Organized ranking will be crucial.

Take a step back and just breathe. Actually, take as much time as you need with this step back business; it is a sanity saver. Take a walk. Read a chapter from that book you've just started. Drink tea. Have something chocolate. Little things like this will help greatly.

Multi-tasking doesn't really help. I say tackle one task, accomplish it, then move on to the next (but, of course, take those step-back moments in between). In the wise words of Parks and Rec's Ron Swanson: "Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing."

Are these foolproof ways of dealing with Pressure and its terrible friends? Not completely and not all the time. But everyone addresses things their own way and these are mine. I hope by sharing them I can help you out in my own way.

So I ask: What do you do in the face of Pressure?