Help me figure out my life!!!

[Baby]

I'm at a real crossroads in my life and was wondering if those who have been there, done that could help me weigh my choices.
I'm currently in first year university in an arts program that focuses on media studies. I also have an amazing coach, an amazing horse and show all around North America on the A circuit. I show jumpers, I just started seriously jumping last year and I'm progressing quite well.
The problem is that I hate school. It's really not what I want to do, I don't want a desk job! I would really like to do something horse related. I can pretty much rule out being a professional rider as I've dabbled in everything but never really stuck with one discipline long enough to reach a very high level.
I found a college in the UK, Hartpury (www.hartpury.ac.uk) where I could achieve a BSc in Equine Science and use that to get a job say as a therapist or nutritionist. I actually don't know what's out there and what I would like to do. I would discover what I'm interested in there. Getting in is not an issue as I am basically in. Money isn't an issue as it would be either showing A's or going to college.

so what should I do?
A) stay in school here, get a decent gvt. job and pay for riding, stay on A circuit
or
B) go to college and discover myself, get a horse related job and remain kinda poor but hopefully happy doing something that I love

[Petstorejunkie]

a. you don't have to go across the pond to get an equine science degree. in fact that sounds like running away from your problems to me.
b. you could change your major to business or management with a minor in equine studies and then your goal could be a consultant for equine related businesses. OR you can do nutrition or therapy what have you and know how to build a profitable business for yourself. worst case you have THE most versatile degree there is.
c. think of jobs that fulfill a need for people even when they are poor. the economy SUCKS right now, and believe me the first thing to go is the equine nutritionist out of the budget.

[Parker_Rider]

There are a ton of schools here in the U.S. that have fabulous degrees in equine science or equine business! I don't think you have to choose between finding a job you love and showing your horse, at least not right now when you're 18. I was just there... well, 4 years ago, but still, I can tell you that your time in college will be invaluable to you in deciding what you want to do and nothing is worse than coming out with the feeling that you didn't study what you wanted. Definitely switch programs, if you feel like you're wasting your time in the program you're doing now. Keep your horse and show the A circuit when you have time/money (I don't know if your parents are helping you out or not). While you need to think about a job with longevity, like PetStoreJunkie said, you're lucky because you'll graduate after this recession largely has passed.
It took me until spring term my sophomore year, and many American political classes (Bleh!) to figure out that I really loved international relations. It's taken me until my 2nd term in grad school to even have an idea of what I want to do job wise. And I still have my ponies because I would fall over dead without them, and am still showing the A shows when I don't have Saturday classes. But my parents are incredibly generous and haven't kicked me out the financial support door yet... Yeah, they're wayyy too nice to me :)
But most important... DON'T PANIC about this!!! You have a ton of time to figure it all out! One of my best friends started out at West Texas A&M in equine studies, then went to CUBoulder for Sports Physiology, THEN went to the Art Institute for interior design. She's now hanging out as a trophy wife (I say it in jest) in CA and figuring out what she wants to do. Another friend has been to 6 schools and finally knows what she's doing, and will be at 7 before she graduates. You're only ~18, and these are questions that people who are 40 are still asking themselves! ;)
Sorry, that was a novel. But it's not the end of the world if you need to switch schools or don't know what you want to do.

ETA: PetStoreJunkie, I adore your signature!! How appropriate!

[AKB]

Media Studies sounds like a really boring major to me, and one that may not have a lot of good job opportunities. If I were in your situation, I would start looking at the list of majors that your school offers. Pick a major that sounds fun, and will provide you with a good job when you graduate. Continue to show and ride, but try to get really good grades. If you have great grades, you can have your choice of grad schools if you can't find a job that you like after undergrad. You can spend a summer in Great Britain and take a summer class there. I would not transfer to a school over there unless you are sure it is right for you and will help you get a good job when you are done.

[Penthilisea]

Media studies IF you work it right, is an awesome area- lots of potential jobs in advertising, communication, teaching, etc. But you need to tailor your learning towards a goal. I did my MA in media studies in NYC, got a lot of amazing business media and sales info from the program, then as a PhD in NJ the program was totally different, focused on writing and experimental data. Either way, if you don't like it, change now. Business will never lead you astray, and you can do an MA with almost any BA and good GRE's.

[seeuatx]

At least you are only a college freshman, I'm 24 with a BA in Equine Studies, and NO clue what to do with my life. For me life was so much easier when I was 18 and thought I knew everything, lol.

[tkhawk]

For me life was so much easier when I was 18 and thought I knew everything, lol.

:lol::lol: Ain't that the truth!:)

To the OP, I am not sure. I look back at the many twists and turns my life has taken and it has been interesting. There is the logical part of you. It can look at the facts at hand and make a decision, In today's extremely fast world, that is not enough. Just a few years ago all my colleaugues -more or less the same age as me- all bought nice houses and settled down. I travelled , had horses-generally did what I felt like doing. They all saved and scrimped. Most of them(a bunch of us all came over from India the same time) are now at least 250-500k in debt with mortgages worth 30-50% lower than the value of the house. At that time, I was considered scatterbrained-now everybody looks at me like a genius!! I am getting ready to buy now.

I am not saying don't plan. But life-especially today-takes strange turns . Sometimes you get a strong feel about things-heart/gut/instinct/just kowing/whatever . I tend to listen to that and use my mind too. Sometimes you think something is your heart's desire -in reality, it could just be your fantasy and unwillingness to face reality.

The only way you can find out is to try it, fall down, get on up and try again. That is one thing I love about America. I was watching an interview with T. Boone Pickens and he made his fortune , lost it and made it again and at this age is trying to invest in wind energy.

You are young and if it doesn't work out-big deal. Try again or try something else.

[JenEM]

I was a Communication Studies major, so probably not so far off from Media Studies. I work on the technical side of TV now, which allows for pretty decent pay for someone not so far out of college, and has some pretty flexible hours.

I think that if its an area that does interest you, it's definitely a path worth pursuing, as either something that could be equine related (marketing, websites, etc) or something that would provide a job that would allow you continue on the horse path as an ammy. Honestly, I think you'd be better off with a Media Studies degree (perhaps with a Business minor?) than an EqScience degree, as it would allow you a broader range of choices.

[InWhyCee Redux]

Media Studies sounds like a really boring major to me, and one that may not have a lot of good job opportunities.

AMEN; I work in the media industry and the economy is hitting us HARD. If you don't love it, and aren't willing to hustle because you love it, you may well be wasting your time.

Ask yourself, What would I be doing if I had to be self-employed? A lot of people are these days!

[sam1979]

I am running late and haven't read all posts ( I will when I get home) so sorry if this is a repeat, but I wanted to share real quick. I too was in your spot after I graduated high school. I had been riding and competing for 12 years. It was my life. I was trying to decide if I wanted to make a go of it with the horses, when my mother said to me ( in that way mothers do) " Do you want to own the barn, or work in someone else's barn" Light Bulb. Off to college my horse and I went. Competing slowed down, but I still rode and learned that having varied intrests is truly rewarding. Now ten years later, I have a great job that allows plenty of time for riding and showing, and I own a small farm. It was what I always dreamed of- maybe a little less "fancy" than I once thought- but it is mine. While I don't "do" horses professionally, they are still a huge part of my life and pray they will be for a long time. This was the right path for me, and I wish you luck- it is a hard choice. Whatever you decide, just know that you don't have to limit yourself. If you aren't getting where you want to go, plot a different course ( another bit of motherly advice ). Good Luck- and whatever path you choose right or not so right -you will gain something from it.:winkgrin:

[archieflies]

I have a brother who is 27, lives at home, and just got laid off from another dead-end, low-paying job. He's actually a confirmed genius and has a BA in psychology from a great school, but he's the definition of wishy-washy and took way too long to graduate with grades that were way too low, changed majors way too many times, and never had a clear goal for what he wanted to do. Anyways, now that he's without a job and can't think of anything that he's qualified for, he's going back to school to take a few more classes (and hopefully raise his GPA). He wrote me an email the other day, and I had to stop and ponder when the boy who never focuses on anything wrote, "So, I have different goals this time around for college. A short term deadline, necessary good grades, and job-focus." All I could think was how great it would have been if he had had those goals the first time through school...

Anyway, the point is, wanderlust makes for a hard road and way too many possibilties for future disappointment. There's always the stories of those who strike out with the "I'll see where this takes me" idea and succeed, but it's not common, and it's not for everyone. 30-somethings living at home and working for pennies are common. I would very much suggest sitting down and coming up with some very definite plans for what you want to do before you make any changes. If you can identify a particular career in media studies that you would be happy with, then stick with that major and keep a narrow focus. (I would love to go back and do media studies, and would do graphic design if I didn't live in a dead-end town...) If you can identify a particular career in the equine industry that you would like to work towards, go for it. (Only go to England if that particular school offers the best opportunities for the particular career you aspire to.) But make sure you're working towards a GOAL and not just a VAGUE IDEA. If you choose a career, work towards it, and later discover it's not as exciting as you thought, then you can explore those vague ideas knowing that you still have a "fallback" career that you're experieced in and qualified for. It's entirely, entirely unfair that 18-year olds are required to make decisions that affect the rest of their lives, but, well, that's just the way it is. I would bet that your school offers some sort of career counseling service that can help you pinpoint a few jobs that you'd fit into, and an interneship would make a great trial-run. But don't make "A-circuit or no A-Circuit" the focus of the decision. You have a LOT of life ahead of you to ride and compete. Most folks have to put that on the backburner for a few years during and after school... remember, the idea is: "A short term deadline, necessary good grades, and job-focus." This is coming from my brother, the confirmed genius who WILL settle down one day. :)

[4Martini]

If you're dreaming of running to England you don't have to study equine studies - you could still study something else there. Do you want to get away more, or study horses or do both?

I transfered to Trinity College in Dublin Ireland and it was the best decision I've ever made. I chose it based on the school and the reputation though. Maybe I was running away at the time (needed to heal after surgery and was on a D1 sports team so I went to study abroad and ended up transfering.) The thing is I totally found myself living on my own in a new country. I changed majors from electrical engineering to economics in the process and had two years where I learned more about myself and my major than I could have ever imagined.

Think about how it fits in your bigger plan though. Will it help you get where you want to go? In the business world, I have found that having a degree from an overseas university has helped me (esp as I work for a large multi national company.) At the same time I chose a top international university and got top grades.

Can you shadow some people in some different careers or get an internship over the summer to try and find a career you think you'd like? I really wish I had done more of this when I was in college. I find school is a lot easier if you are working towards a goal.

Good luck!

[slc2]

I think it sounds like a very, very bad plan. Go to school and get a decent job, there are far too many acupuncturists out of work. The economy stinks and when things 'get better' it will be a permanently changed world. Get a degree in business, computer science, law or engineering, or something like that, so you can afford to ride when you get out of school.

[Equibrit]

THAT is why people take a gap year.
http://www.gapyear.com/
http://www.takingoff.net/

[Evalee Hunter]

Let me know if you ever figure it out.

I am 64 & still working on that problem. Some of the jobs I have held over the years:

junior high school science teacher
college biology adjunct prof.
college genetics adjunct prof.
child social worker
newspaper reporter
tax preparer (Enrolled Agent)
freelance writer

Now we have a farm & I care for horses full time.

Have serial careers. It is a whole lot more fun than having one career & sticking to it.

[Baby]

Thank you all for your replies. I currently live at home so that I can help my parents afford to send me all over to ride. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. Obviously, the school as a means to an end is the more practical option and probably the one that I will take. However, I know that I'll always wonder what would've happened if I went overseas. If only we could go back after we know the answers.

[tkhawk]

Let me know if you ever figure it out.

I am 64 & still working on that problem. Some of the jobs I have held over the years:



:lol::lol::lol: I remember when I was in my teens and was so sure about the world and thought all the adults were dumb!:lol:

Life is just interesting..

[imapepper]

I Get a degree in business, computer science, law or engineering, or something like that, so you can afford to ride when you get out of school.

Yep...because the secretarial position that I got with my computer science degree really paid for competing on the A circuit :rolleyes: It's frankly all a crapshoot. You can have one of those degrees and still be unemployed right now. I am now wishing I had done something much more fun since it didn't make me any money and I paid for it for quite awhile :) Do something that interests you and do not get a degree that you *think* will be good money. After quite a bit of working crappy admin jobs, I am now working as an independent contractor in the finance industry and it's not all bad :) But my degree was absolutely useless. You still have to study and pay for it no matter what you get a degree in....make it something that interests you.

[Frog]

1) Once you have to work to support yourself, you will realize that in fact you loved school;
2) I don't really know what media studies is, I will disagree and say it sounds as good as any other major, and certainly won't prevent you from ever working in horses! I'm unclear as to why you think you have to work for the government, except that you will be able to slack off and will never get fired. Kind of an oxymoron too, work in media for the government? Free press here in the USA (Okay, more like online media nowadays but still!). There are way too many people working for the government! If you are good at media studies, maybe you should stick with it as you (your parents) have already invested in it;
3) I don't think I recommend taking a year off unless you have the luxury of not having to support yourself, working part time, showing your horse and living at home (it sounds like you actually probably do have that option available). Once you stop school and support yourself, school will be very hard to get back to without someone else's pocketbook, because you will have more pressing matters such as bills to deal with;
4) Every post I have ever read has recommended against an actual career in horses, outside of vet. You'll need things like insurance & 401K and if you want to do equine massage therapy, trainer, equine nutritionist, you will likely be working for yourself and have to pay for those things on your own.

So I don't really think you have a bad thing going on here. Stay at the university with the privelege of showing your awesome horse and not having to support yourself yet. You will have three more years to find suitable full-time employment and slowly sort out your priorities and untangle yourself from your parent's finances. That's what college is for! Be thankful for your education opportunities. Changing your major or transferring universities might be a good option if it still allows you to live at home to help save some money. If you think going to college overseas will help you better accomplish taking hold of your life, and your parents agree to pay, then I guess that is a viable option. But your horse will be gone, gone gone... maybe sold if your parents are teaching you to make choices (ah, to choose between traveling to Europe or showing the expensive horse!). While you are in college, it seems like you could be doing so much more- traveling, saving the world etc., but trust me, those are fantasies unlikely to be lived out at age 18 or 19!

Good luck!

[FlightCheck]

i agree with Evalee - one career is boring!

Seriously, you need 3 "things" in life (jeez my Dad is smart)

Family/Friends
career
passion


That way when one is in the toilet, the other 2 can pull you through.


I'd stay in the US and TRY different courses at school - one may sneak up on you when you least expect it to. Be flexible - some of the MOST unhappy people I have known in their 40's "settled down" to a career at 24, and are now 20 years into it and either hate it or are unemployed with no other job skills.


I'm one of the very very fortunate - I love my job and (usually) look forward to it every day. It suits ME, whereas another person would hate it - the constant travel, working with new people every week, etc.

Good luck!

[XenophonKnows]

OP - by all means, go overseas. You will learn a lot more about the world + get an education by going to get your degree in another country. tkhawk and
4Martini have it right. Go out. Go learn. The Equine Studies programs here in the USA are, eh, blah. I know, I attended 2 of them, and looked at a lot more.

I wish I had had the nerve to go overseas. I think I can guarantee that you WILL regret not taking the option in the future. In the end, you will more regret the roads not tried than you will the mistakes you made.

[PNWjumper]

Why pigeonhole yourself during college? My advice is to keep your options as open as possible. I would suggest getting a degree that could allow you to go many directions....business, something science related, etc (maybe a media degree does the same???) while still giving you the ability to work with horses as a possibility.

And really, who knows what the future will hold for you? I always caution kids against pursuing their passion as their job since most people don't have what it takes to live with the ups and downs of "real life" in relation to something they're passionate about as a sport. I've sure seen a lot of people go down that path only to discover that they wish they'd done something outside of the horse world to support the habit (i.e. pay more than horses "pay") and kept the horses as their escape.

I have a biochemistry degree and after graduating felt like I could go anywhere (not sure the same could be said for an Equine-related degree). I started towards my PhD in molbio, changed my mind and moved into sales, got accepted into business school....have a job now where I get to work out of my house while making a good paycheck. As someone else mentioned, it wouldn't appeal to everyone....lots of travel, lots of working with new people. But I have my own farm, 6 horses, and show on the A circuit all summer. I break and train youngsters and greenies and then sell them as a side job of sorts (though my focus on that is almost gone now that I have 2 kids and have a tough time fitting in everything!).

Anyhow, my point is that you could get a non-equine degree that would prepare you equally as well to work in the equine world while still giving you flexibility to do other things if you decided on a different path. I say wait as long as possible to close any doors for yourself.

[00Jumper]

I entered college as a Communications Major, so a lot like you. I HATED it. I wanted to drop out and ride horses for a living. I was sure I could get a job, etc. etc. Well I took a required science class and really liked it. Ended up changing my major to biology.

Fast forward to sophomore year of college. I love biology, I love my classes. They're challenging, they're interesting. I still love horses. But I don't know what I want to do with my degree. I know I don't want to go to medical school or vet school, and I don't want to go to research. I feel rushed, as people are getting ready to take MCAT prep and etc. I flip out, what am I going to do?!

Flash forward another year. I have found peace in the decision of going to Nursing school, but I am unhappy that I will go straight from undergrad to my second bachelor's without ever having time off to "do horses". Well, by happy coincidence, I can graduate a semester early. Great! Oh, and nursing school doesn't really start for another . . . year. And lo, the sun did break through the clouds and all seemed clear. :lol:

The key thing I did was stay focused on a goal (get a degree) but I did not lock myself into one track. If you're lost and unhappy, you need to try other things. Take classes you're unsure of (I was sure I was going to fail that Chem elective - but not so much!), explore options at your school. Keep riding, keep working, keep learning. Everything will fall into place eventually, just be persistent. :D Being decisive is a great quality, but in matters like the one you're up against, far better to follow one path and let it take you where it may than jump all around until you're so lost you don't know which way is up. Go abroad if you feel like you need to, take crazy classes, have fun, but stay focused on one thing. Everything else will fall into place.

[silver2]

Id you don't want a desk job, don't get one, you'll be miserable. I have one, after years of working outdoors, and while it's a great job blahblahblah I hate the lifestyle and spend most of my time plotting my escape. But in my field it's either desk job or travel job. I wish I had gotten a degree that would allow me to earn a reasonable living in a small town or rural area, like dentistry or vet med.

A lot of my friends have gone back to school to do nursing or radiology (we're talking people with grad degrees in the hard sciences here) because it allows them to live where they want and work as much as they want. Consider something like that if you want more freedom.

And keep in mind that people who say "all degrees are the same , it doesn't matter what you study!" are dead wrong. If you want to be a marine biologist, vet or a civil engineer then media studies ain't gonna cut it. Pick a general area of interest that correlates to the way you see the world, like hard science, engineering or liberal arts, and always assume you'll be working in the area you study. You'll get a lot more out of school that way.

[AppendixQHLover]

Well having done MANY careers in my lifetime without a degree I would stay stick with the education. You may not see the benefit right now at this moment BUT...it does pay off when applying for jobs.

Example...

My co-worker has been in the industy as long as I have. He makes 20K less than I do because he just has an assocaties degree. I have a BS degree and make more. He doesn't know what I make but I know what he does because he talks endlessly about how much it stinks. SO I told him to finish his BS degree. He told me to eff off in not so nice way.

I am in the IT industry and there is a certain point that you hit that without a degree it is a glass ceiling paywise. I also work for the Federal government and they are MUST have a degree mindset. My degree is in Business, not IT but they just wanted that piece of paper. I am working on my MS in Information Systems and will be done in this century. It is for the future, not the right now.

I also would have loved to make a living riding horses. Actually wanted to be a trainer. I taught lessons for 5 months and hated it. I hated dealing with the parents, and all the drama. I am better off at my desk where I pay the board for my horses living accomdations. I can compete on the A circuit when I am ready but that day hasn't come yet.

[JennieRose]

You can always travel AFTER you get your degree. Through the weirdness that is life, I'm now living in Manchester, England. I LOVE it. But, I wouldn't give up the years I spent in MN (Carleton College) or CA (Berkeley) for anything. Don't feel like you're "stuck" if you stick around for college.

[Fixerupper]

Picture yourself broke with no financial support available from family...
Seriously...
Then figure out what you could do to make your own life work...
Then do it...
:)

[pippa553]

I say follow your heart. You don't know what doors it will open for you and you can go back to school at anytime. I had a similar situation after high school, everyone was in my ears telling me "I'll be a stall cleaner for the rest of my life" so I listened, went to school, and got my media degree. It was easy for me, I was a good student, but I didn't really care about it. I had a good job, I liked the pay check, but the overtime dragged on me. I felt time wasting away Where am I now? Wishing I had taken the chance back then and currently in school studying something else anyway.. The truth is I didn't know what I wanted to study at 18, I wanted to follow my passion. What's getting me through school now? The same passion...

[Etoile]

At least you are only a college freshman, I'm 24 with a BA in Equine Studies, and NO clue what to do with my life. For me life was so much easier when I was 18 and thought I knew everything, lol.

I think you and I are really the same person. I got a fancy BS in a ridiculously specialized Equine program, based on my 18 yr old self's plans, and now I have no idea what I want to do. I mean, I'd love to still go live abroad and raise horses...but with a SO who gets the heebie jeebies when thinking about moving and you know, the economy and all...not so much.

Now I have a somewhat horse related job where I earn slightly less than your average bag lady and let me say that a job where I'd make a lot of money and have no passion for is sounding really good.

Just my thoughts, as I look at my petite checking account and severely shrunken savings :yes:

[bf1]

You said you are living at home so your parents can afford to send you to shows.....that comment gets to me. I think you need to "grow up". Your parents are obviously sacrificing financially for you - which is fine to a point - but they need to start saving for their own future.

You are young, and have a lot of future ahead. Start by figuring out how to support yourself. That is probably not in a horse related field. As many have said, it is a difficult place to work, without much of a future. And you don't need a degree to be successful in the horse industry - in fact many trainers scoff at the idea of a degree. What counts is talent, talent, and a good head, and experience.

I suggest, if you go to school, to get a degree in a field that you can then be employed in. Broaden your horizens, open your eyes a bit, you can always go back to the horse industry as a fall back if things don't work out in school. But you most likely won't go back to school once you start working in the horse business.

[thatmoody]

Being employable does not necessarily mean having a job you hate. There ARE things to do that are interesting and that actually involve a paycheck :D.

I have a friend who works as a media specialist for the shuttle program. He films all the shuttle flights and puts together packages for education and government programs.

I am an instructor (not horse related), and love both my job and the hours.

Some of the happiest horse people I know are in the medical field. They are probably going to get to keep their jobs through the recession, and they have wonderful benefits. I would recommend doing some job shadowing through your college's career services. They can set you up with people in a few fields (trust me, they're used to dealing with this situation as MOST 18 year olds don't know what they want to do!) and you can see what their day to day lives are like.

Seriously, you are not in an unusual position, and there are some resources out there that can help you decide where you want to go and what you want to do.

[Baby]

You said you are living at home so your parents can afford to send you to shows.....that comment gets to me. I think you need to "grow up". Your parents are obviously sacrificing financially for you - which is fine to a point - but they need to start saving for their own future.


In the situation I'm in right now I work two practically minimum wage jobs at around 25 hours a week so that I can pay for my lifestyle (the occasional dinner and the few clothes that I buy out of necessity) and also so I can pay for all my personal expenses when I travel the circuit. I also have classes every day. Sometimes I have a social life lol. My parents love me a lot and think I have a lot of talent as a rider so they choose to put a small chunk of their disposable income towards helping me further my goals. Right now those goals are on the A circuit. I live in Canada where we have health care and they have government pensions.

Fixerupper, you're so right! After a lot of deliberation, I think that I will stay in university, at least for the next three years, then see what I would like to do for a master's degree. I know I will regret going in some ways but I still have loads of time to go later in life if this doesn't work out. :)

[Fixerupper]

Wow!:lol: Baby just grew up.

[pines4equines]

Sam1979 said and I want to reiterate: "Do you want to own the barn, or work in someone else's barn"

I went to Lake Erie College and I was going to be an equestrian major. In my sophomore year, I started to see the light about the potential jobs available and I took two years off. I wasn't actually going to go back to college but my father said: "You're going back to college, I don't care where you go but you're going!"

I got accepted to Rhode Island School of Design and have never looked back. While I own a horse business, it's something a little different than training and mucking. You can look at my web site: www.horsehollowpress.com

I'm 47 years old and let me tell you, you don't need a degree to be an "equestrian major". Please find a major that you're interested in and stick to that. I liked the one poster that talked about working behind the scenes at a TV station or making television shows. HOW MUCH FUN WOULD THAT BE?

You just need to find something you're interested in, graduate with that behind you, make some dough and then buy your dream farm and own your own horses...

Good luck!!!

[Violetta]

We had an American girl on our Animal Science course last year as part of an exchange program. She completed her second year with us. It sounded like hard work though, she had to do a lot of credits. But maybe your University does one? Combine travel with study.

Also, I am taking Animal Science, but doing the equine pathway. It gives a broader base and should provide more job opportunities, but keeps things horse related. However, as a general rule I enjoyed the modules related to farm animals far more than the equine modules, I suppose because it was something new. I have to agree that Equine Science degrees doesn't provide many opportunities, not here anyway.

[thatmoody]

Oh, and, FWIW, I LOVED graduate school madly! I loved it so much that I'm STILL in school and they're going to have to pry my cold fingers off the door in the faculty lounge! It just seemed so much more satisfying than undergrad - I got to choose what I wanted to study, and the discussions were much more in-depth. The reading load was pretty massive, but fortunately I like to read.

[danceronice]

Just remember: degrees, including advanced degrees from very expensive, selective, incerdibly competitive schools and programs can still mean you end up scraping through hourly jobs. Ask Me How I Know. Right now, I'm hoping one of those applications for a position beginning "GS" comes through (because once you've got a rating federal jobs get much easier to get and harder to lose.) God knows when I'll be able to afford a horse--probably only if I get lucky and marry rich.

[archieflies]

Good, finish your degree, but don't give up on travel. Once you have a career in mind, you can begin looking for positions that may take you overseas. My parents lived and worked all over the world before I was born, and when my husband's company bought out a smaller company in Switzerland last year, we agreed that if an opportunity arose, the farm and horses would be sold and we'd be on a plane ASAP. I'm still holding out hope that that will happen, but for now, it looks like I'll have to be happy with the sticks of East Texas, and I won't let go of my (no-fun-at-all-drives-me-crazy-makes-me-bash-my-head-into-the-wall) teaching position because a job is a precious thing these days, even if it drives you a bit crazy. That's why there's horses and dogs waiting for me at home.

[tkhawk]

A college degree is always good. Unless you want to do something specific, like being a doctor or a nuclear scientist, the rest are ok with any degrees. I work in a very big corporation and my top management have a wide range of degrees from liberal arts to English. As long as you have a degree it is fine. College is a neat experience. I came to the US from India to do my graduate. You could go to Europe or any palce you feel like -combine education and travel.

But figuring out what you want to do with your life is the fun part. It changes. Think about dating choices. I look back now at the people I found attractive at 18 and have to laugh. Can't imagine how I would feel if I had choosen to share my life with them. Same thing with careers-you grow, circumstances change, you change. You may choose a career for financial stability and due to market forces-the stability is gone. You may choose a job because it is your passion and after ten years the industry has matured and it is now very corporate.

Stuff happens and you evolve and change. Right now though I think the horse business is very tough to break into if you are just starting out. Horses are a luxury and it will be a while before things reach their eqilibrium again.

The thing with life is for every rule, general belief/circumstance, there is always an exception. So everything is relative to you, the place you are, your surroundings , so really hard to tell this is the best way. I think it is good that you are exploring, figuring out things for yourself. That is part of the fun in life!:) It also is a bit tough. When you go off the beaten track, you have to learn to rely on yourself. You have no context , framework. You are not choosing a career beacuse your Dad did it and his dad did it. So you will encounter stuff and will have doubts and fears and no framework to referance to. But you learn to trust yourself and be more accepting of your shortcomings, challenge your beliefs. Keep looking and in today's world the "hot" career of today may be "stale" in just a decade-it is a very fast moving world.

[dizzywriter]

BA- biology
That took me to a law degree.
Law took me to 10 hour works days, which sucked big time.
But it helped me to build a nest egg to allow me to quit.
Nest egg took me to the Former Soviet Union.
FSU took me to journalism for ten years.
Journalism took me to running a legal aid program for journalists.
In the meantime, I wrote and published a book and bought my first horse.
End of program brought me back to the US with an even huger nest egg.
Legal aid program experience took me to consulting, which brought me to East Timor, where I am right now for three weeks.
East Timor gave me a chance to see Timor ponies and really exotic Timor saddles (see my "check out this saddle thread")
East Timor will also pay for a goodly portion of horsie activities, as well as living expenses.

Having spent a good deal of energy on the "rape" victim's story, I'm a little disinclined to waste more energy on what appears to be a lazy, spoiled college student's angst.

Get a degree. Thank your god for parents who support you. And shut up. You're a ridiculous child who evidently has no idea of what is happening in the world around you. Learn to make french fries, too. It may help in the future if you are unwilling to apply yourself to things that may seem boring, but may prove to be useful.

But if you really want to appreciate what you have, maybe try the Peace Corp for a summer or a season.

Rant done.

[dizzywriter]

Oops, going to correct myself.
Baby, I just saw your last post and am glad to see that you are going to stay in school. Sorry for the aggressive tone, but I really was pissed off about the whole "rape" thread. Usually, I think that I am more sympathetic.
But you may still want to consider the Peace Corp. I know so many people who did it and it took them in directions they never would have imagined. Just one example, there is a great need for theraputic riding trainers in many counties.
No one puts Baby in a corner...
Best to you.

[pines4equines]

...No one puts Baby in a corner...

Arh, arh!

Baby, watch "Dirty Dancing!"

[Daatje]

When I was a college student, I wanted NOTHING to do with school, unless it was horse related. :rolleyes:

I got the BS in Equine Sciences, rode every semester to the highest level the school offered, competed.....the works.

Worked in the industry for a while, but grew VERY tired of working for unreasonably eccentric rich people and having to pay for my own health insurance. I ended up with a (gasp...the horrors!) desk job that pays ok and has great benefits with wonderful vacation time......I love that vacation time.

If I could do it all again, I would have

A) Majored in a field that is HIGHLY paid!

B) Minored in Equine Sciences to fullfill my horsey needs while in school

But hey, when you're 18, you think the only time is "now". (sigh)

If I were to give you advice, it would be to find a major that has a high percentage of job placement and salary potential. Then you'll have all you need to pursue your horse interests on your own terms and with your own money.

I wish I had listened to those who told me the same thing all those years ago!

[Jealoushe]

Thank you all for your replies. I currently live at home so that I can help my parents afford to send me all over to ride. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. Obviously, the school as a means to an end is the more practical option and probably the one that I will take. However, I know that I'll always wonder what would've happened if I went overseas. If only we could go back after we know the answers.

I went to Uni for 2 years, then worked at an event yard in Scotland for a year, then back to Uni for a year, then to Ireland to event.

You CAN do it all. What if you just went working overseas in the summers?

[Baby]

I went to Uni for 2 years, then worked at an event yard in Scotland for a year, then back to Uni for a year, then to Ireland to event.

You CAN do it all. What if you just went working overseas in the summers?

The thing is, it would be a trade off between having the perfect horse who would pack me around to 1.40 (when i get there!!) and training with a really small BNT where I get a lot of personal attention or leaving it all to pursue my wanderlust. BNT told me good luck in finding a working student position with my current skills (I can jump competitively around the adult jumper divs!!! and its only my first year doing jumpers) because there are a lot of good and talented riders in europe who can't even get working student positions. Yet I see really great looking positions on Yard and Groom...