What if....?

[Sneed]

Just a random thought here, but what given the overall regret I seem to read so much of on these boards, I was just curious what everyone who wishes now they hadn't studied journalism in college or gotten into the field would do given an opportunity to go back in time and do something different?

Or would you, even?

I'll get started....

As for me, I'm one of those wacky college kids about to graduate with high hopes and unshakable resolve and am convinced enough of my own ability that I'll make it big in the journalism world. BUT, if that fails, I'll probably return to school in a few years and get either an MBA or JD.

Or just move to Africa or somewhere like that and help the poor hungry people be happy. (Seriously. I might.)

How about all of you?

 

[Moderator1]

Restaurants.
Guy I worked for in high school is now one of the three principles in the company that owns Outback, Bonefish, Carrabba's
****. ****.

 

[BigSleeper]

My wife and I would drive around the country in a van, helping people solve mysteries.

;D

 

[ArnoldBabar]

Lion tamer. I still might do it.

 

[Mark2010]

People told me I should have been an accountant, because I was good with numbers and statistics. Truth be told, the idea of sitting in an office all day mulling over balance sheet seemed a fate worse than death.

Never really had anything else that interested me other than various forms of media. Just love to talk and write, that's all.

 

[Sneed]

the idea of sitting in an office all day mulling over balance sheet seemed a fate worse than death.

Amen to that.

 

[HandsomeHarley]

I would have been a meteorologist except for ****ing math.

Ooh, I hate math.

 

[SockPuppet]

I would have learned to throw left handed.

 

[Precious Roy]

I would have been a comparative religions professor. I still may go back and look into it.

 

[I Should Coco]

Actually, I didn't study journalism in college, but a friend at the student newspaper said he needed someone to help cover the college tennis team, and 16-plus years later, here I am, still in the newspaper biz.

Wouldn't have done anything different as far as a career field. This is what I like to do (at least most nights).

One thing I would advise to Sneed and other college journos reading this: Don't discount the strong weekly papers or the smaller daily newspapers. Unlike some of the big metros having trouble these days, those publications are widely read, people are passionate about what your write, and they're an important part of the community.

Now, if some of the bigger papers can remember how to achieve those three objectives, we'll all be better off!

 

[buckweaver]

I would have learned to throw left handed.

I did. Doesn't really help if you can barely hit 80 on the gun.

 

[User 1019]

I left the biz to follow a wild-hair dream. Third best decision I've ever made.

 

[WriteThinking]

I have never regretted going into journalism, and I never will. I belong in it.

I regret what has happened since then to (practically) knock me out of the business.

I suspect this is the case with many, many people here.

 

[RedSmithClone]

While I was a part-timer at my first shop and finishing college, many at the place told me not to major in journalism.

"Pick something else to have as a fall back," they said.

I took Door 1, also known as the easy way out and stuck with journalism. Yes, I minored in Philosophy, but what good is that?

I always thought I should have went for my teaching degree in history - or even better, early childhood ed. I actually had a job offer to work at a pre-school prior to getting my post at my current shop. I could work there as an assistant while I went back to school for my degree.

It was hard for me to say no to that. They tried so hard to get me to take the gig, they wanted a male role-model figure for the kids, and my cousin was one of the assistant directors at the school. I felt then like I let her down by saying no. Now, there are days when I think maybe I let myself down, again taking the easy way out.

 

[MileHigh]

No regrets here.

 

[RossLT]

I would have gone into teaching, which I am going to head to grad school to do in a few months.

 

[RedSmithClone]

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this career.

I just wish I majored in something else that I was always equally interested in. You don't need to major in journalism to be a journalist. I could have taken J classes as electives, still worked on and been editor of the school paper and still gotten a job in the field despite majoring in anything else.

I've just been thinking lately that I was meant to do more for society than covering games and writing columns about athletics.

I am seriously considering a political career.

 

[buckweaver]

No regrets here.

Ditto, no matter what happens.

 

[playthrough]

No regrets either. But I do look with envy at my younger brother, who after 15 years in the same job has a fair wage, three weeks paid vacation, quarterly and annual bonuses and a sound 401k with company match through private stock.

He's an hourly employee in a Publix bakery.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

I would have either done everything the same, or everything differently. It's one or the other. But just based on the people I've had the dumb stupid good fortune to know along the way, I'd probably stay on the same path, even with the dead end sign in my face.