What do you want to be when you grow up and why?

[Ihmhi]

Okay, well, this is something we all must have been asked at some point in our lives. I thought it would be an interestin' thread to see if everyone actually picked out the careers that they wanted to do when they were young'uns.

At first I had wanted to be a cop. My grandfather was one and one of the most respected officers in our city (Newark, NJ). He also served during World War II in the Coast Guard. When he died in his mid 70s, he held down THREE jobs and STILL managed to sit on his church's council and help out with that.

He was just this big, behemoth of a personality that could get anything done if he wanted to. When I was a child I idealized that so greatly that I wanted to be so much like him.

As time went by, though, I realized that I did not want to be a police officer. I was kinda lost as to what I had wanted to do throughout my teens.

Then, about a year ago, I was teachin' somebody somethin'. I forget what it was exactly or who it was that I was teaching. Then s/he said to me "You know Rob, you're a great teacher."

At that moment, it came to me. Well, not really. First thing I said was "Huh?"

S/he elaborated. "You just have a way of explaining things that can make people understand them. I mean, I knew nothing about this sorta stuff, and when you showed me, you just did it in a way that I could understand it. I wish I had teachers like you back in school."

Then it hit me... I want to be a teacher.

Now that I think about it, the signs were always there. I always was (and still am) the person who people go to when they have problems. Whatever advice I end up giving them (whether or not they follow it) usually turns out to be the right thing to do. (Funnily enough, most of the time when people ignore my advice it blows up in their face and then they lament not listening to me...)

Whenever my friends argue, I usually end up being the mediator. I have had the same seven best friends (now eight) for the last four years, and some of them have been kind enough to tell me that that might not have been the case if I did not work so hard to keep everyone together.

My friends also tell me that it is fun to be around me. I really do not get it, I guess I just have a way of making people feel better when they feel like crap.

After thinking about all of this stuff, I tried to remember why I did not like school. In elementary school, the classes were so ridiculously easy for me that I usually did all of my work halfway through the day. I had such a hunger for knowledge, and most every one of my teachers did absolutely nothing to feed that hunger or make school remotely interesting.

By the time I reached high school (secondary school), I was so apathetic towards the education system and most of the teachers that I was kicked out of two high schools. I ended up getting my G.E.D. six months later and passing it with an average of 94% (Social Studies was my weak point).

I remembered when someone was sucking bad in TFC, I would ask them if they were new to the game. I would usually invite them to follow me to a server that I have admin on (that is usually empty) and teach them the basics of the game and some strategy. I got such joy from seeing one of my "students" blast an enemy sniper to shit with a rocketnade after a RJ onto the batts on 2fort.

After considering all of this, I had reached my decision. I was going to be a teacher. I was going to make school as fun and engaging as I could and go beyond the required curriculum. I was going to dress up in silly costumes for Halloween and make my students laugh. At the end of the school year, I wanted to see those same sad faces that every great teacher gets because the students are moving on... the faces that say "You are a great teacher, and next year is gonna suck without you."

So, I made up my mind. I am currently saving up money to go to college and get my teaching degree. I will probably be one of those teachers. You know the ones. They get to school and hour early and leave an hour late. If you need help, you know you can go to them. That is my ideal, my dream, and I am going to live it.

Welp, having spouted out my little story, I would love to hear about your guys and your career prospects. Are you happy with your career? Are you doing the job that you had dreamed to do as a kid? Is there anything else in the world you would rather be doing rather than what you are doing right now?

[uBeR]

Longest post-that-no-one-is-going-to-read ever.

P.S. Wanted to be an astronaut and still do. ^^

[ekiM]

Loved.

[mervaka]

i used to want to mow lawns when i was a kid (3-5 years old), because i love the smell of freshly cut grass.

[Uncle-Argon]

I've never had a solid fix on an ideal prospective career, but for quite a while now I've wanted to be some sort of writer. At the moment I'm finishing my history degree before moving on to start my MA/PhD next year. If everything goes to plan, I'm hoping to get a research or teaching job in a university which should eventually give me a fair amount of freedom to write both academic and non-academic pieces whilst also being supported by a relatively decent salary. So, I'm not really doing the kind of work I want to do yet, but my plan to get there is moving along nicely.

Good luck with the teaching. My mum has been a primary school (think thats elementary level?) teacher for years now and my girlfriend is training to do it at the moment. It can be a very very difficult job, but its also very rewarding when things start going to plan. Also, pretty much every teacher goes in to teaching hoping to be the sort of figure you're aspiring to be; its not as easy as you might think to be the popular/inspirational teacher that everybody loves. Some people are going to hate you. Also, if things are anything like they are in the UK, you're going to be hamstrung a lot of the time by government interference, by having to conform to your school's plans and teaching styles, by mountains and mountains of totally unnecessary paperwork, and by the necessity to focus on preparing children for tests so that the school performs well in league tables. I don't want to put you off, and you're going into it with a really good attitude, so I hope things work out for you.

[luminous]

For years i wanted to do something in the car industry, and I arranged my A-Levels accordingly so that I would have a good chance of going to a decent university to do motorsport engineering (Brunel was the one I really hoped for).

Then last december i had one of those life changing experiences that makes you just think "I want to do that". I went to the BBC Radio centres in london on a music tech trip, was shown around numerous studios and such, and decided that being a radio engineer was what i wanted to do. 6 months later and im leaving 6th form an have got an unconditional offer to do radio production at a new college being built near me Im looking forward to the future now

[SizeableSSonic]

Always wanted to get into the game industry.

[Circuitous]

Dunno.

[Innoc]

I wanted to be writer. While I do all of the legal and contractual writing for my company it's hardly even close to what I wanted to be when I grew up. I do write and get things published from time to time. I believe that when I get around to retiring I will likely devote more time to it...especially since golf does nothing for me...

[[AE] 82694]

My main focus was to party fucking hard in high school. My Dad has his own auto repair shop and I did that for about 12 years, with plans on taking it over until a back injury made me decide to leave. Now I'm a crane/heavy equipment operator and thats my little niche that pays decent and I like doing.

[Mulchman MM]

Originally Posted by ekiM

Loved.

lawl

[allisvoid]

a lotto winner... then i wouldn't have to do shit for a good while except spend my money.

[Innoc]

Not to rain on your parade but you do realize that a good many lotto winners end up bankrupt within 5 years of their win right?

[skuLL]

Originally Posted by SizeableSSonic

Always wanted to get into the game industry.

[mervaka]

Originally Posted by luminous

For years i wanted to do something in the car industry, and I arranged my A-Levels accordingly so that I would have a good chance of going to a decent university to do motorsport engineering (Brunel was the one I really hoped for).

Then last december i had one of those life changing experiences that makes you just think "I want to do that". I went to the BBC Radio centres in london on a music tech trip, was shown around numerous studios and such, and decided that being a radio engineer was what i wanted to do. 6 months later and im leaving 6th form an have got an unconditional offer to do radio production at a new college being built near me Im looking forward to the future now

yeah, a guy i knew at school's doing that in brunel.

i also had a similar experience, but i went from hardcore electronics to sound engineering. i think i just specialised myself more than anything.

[Anshinritsumai]

Originally Posted by SizeableSSonic

Always wanted to get into the game industry.:)

Agreed.

I'm pretty much in the middle of pursuing my career; attending The Art Institute with a Media Arts & Animation major (switching to Game Art & Design soon).

[Ihmhi]

Well at least the poll results are not as depressing as I had thought they would be.

[qwertyuiop]

I'd like to make playing music my career, but the chances of making a decent amount of money are pretty slim. For now all I can do is practice as much as I can, and try to learn to play as many different styles as I can. I'm still working hard in school, to keep any options open.

Okay, I'm not really working that hard, but I've managed to my average around the mid 80s.

[Ihmhi]

Originally Posted by qwertyuiop

I'd like to make playing music my career, but the chances of making a decent amount of money are pretty slim. For now all I can do is practice as much as I can, and try to learn to play as many different styles as I can. I'm still working hard in school, to keep any options open.

Okay, I'm not really working that hard, but I've managed to my average around the mid 80s.

That is the smart way to do it, but you have to consider something.

The way of the record companies is slowly falling by the wayside. Things like digital distribution of music are becoming more and more popular nowadays. There are a lot of small bands that can make decent money via touring, selling merch, etc., without ever being signed onto a record label.

If you are serious about it, work some job in the daytime and play music in clubs and stuff on weekends, nights, etc. Get some original material written and sell your CDs online. Try to get your songs into iTunes and similar services. Set up a website and sell merch, etc. You CAN make a living off of that if you put the time and effort into it, and you really do not need anything with record companies.

I mean shit, my dad was in a band that imitated Chicago for years. Through his agent, he got a lot of shows in places like military bases. Pay for playing one night at somewhere like West Point or McGuire? Around $1,500 for the whole band, made up of about 10 members. $150 is not a lot, but if you book enough shows at stuff like that, clubs, etc. while also celling CDs, digital music, and merch... you can make a living offa that.

[Coronius]

Either dead, criminal or a rockstar.