How did you choose what you wanted to do as a career?

You should understand that you and your parents' definition of failure is totally relative. Obviously you've got parents that have arbitrary standards based on their class and what they think is a 'successful' career path. That sucks, and yes it's common for middle class families, but there are also lots of families that don't care what their children do and just want them to be happy. So you would be wise to take it with a pinch of salt and just be aware that you being in this world doesn't come with any obligations to follow their standards.

With that in mind, I'd put your mother's comments to one side and maybe look into those other jobs that you are actually interested in. Almost every career path imaginable has the potential to bring in enough money for you to be really comfortable, and beyond that level it's just a pissing match so who cares.

As for how I "chose," I basically did a degree that I enjoyed thoroughly but it didn't set me up for a particular career path (Music Technology).
Then I spent a year doing retail work to keep myself occupied and trying to figure stuff out. One of my hobbies is programming, so I ended up getting a job as a software developer because it was something I could actually get. My degree had almost nothing to do with it.
I don't hate it, not sure if I'll dedicate my whole life to it, but it's paying the bills for now.

>>17823515
Problem is that they pay for everything. Unless I get a job quick, they would have to pay for my "non-nursing" classes and most likely would bother me about that.

They at most have told me to go for nursing, make tons of money, THEN go for what I actually want.

I have no idea how to tell them I don't want to be a "super rich" nurse at all.

>>17823577
Seriously been an RN is a calling not something you can do for the money, yeah sure it appears that you can make hella cash from nursing but in reality it dosen't pay all to well and the job can be stressful most people use nursing to go other routes in medical field or even to another career field, however but forcing your self going to school for something that you don't want to do often dosen't end all that well and its a waste of time.

If you want to peruse your own career then your gonna have to man up and get a job and apply for financial aid to pay for that school.

>>17823577
Get a job and go to school for what you want
Fuck nursing if you're already not feeling it, it's a stressful job and money isn't that abundant in it

Tell them you want to do something else and they can support you or not but its what you're going to do
They seem to care about you so I'm sure you won't find a negative response

>>17823619
Does it really not make too much? Parents were making $40/hr or more if they did overtime/nights. Currently around $30/hr now because we live in a small town. Excluding the tens of thousands in bonuses for working in a hospital. They travel for the bonuses.

>>17823635
Yeah, I'm guessing it might come down to that. I mean, there is even an interview to get into the nursing program and I feel like they will figure out I really don't want to do it.

>>17823457
What I picked isn't exactly a career but generally the same shit applies ...

>have things you like to do
>have things you want to achieve
>pick something that combines it
>understand the possible downsides of your choice and either accept them or pick something else

Whatever anyone else thinks is 110% worthless. Obviously this also means that you should establish a situation where you can make an independent choice aka. being self sufficient and not rely on your parents.

>>17823664
Nursing is a mixed bag. The money is good but the cunts you'll have to put up with as coworkers might not make it worth it for you. If you need to go into any medical field to please your parents, I'd recommend Radiologic Technologist it's a 2 year degree, their starting pay is slightly under what you'd make as a nurse, but the workload is a lot less stressfull. It's a gateway position to better jobs in medical imaging like an ultrasound tech. Tell your parents you want to do ultrasound eventually to get them off your back(the pay is better than what nurses get).

I come from a family who all works in the medical field (Medical Imaging Supervisor, 2 DNP, 2 RN, 1 Anesthesia Tech.) and I was pushed to get into it. I ended up becoming a bookkeeper, something I enjoy way more, and though I don't make the big bucks, I'm happy in my quiet little room with my adding machine and no bleeding assholes, so fuck parents.

>>17823791
Thanks. Nice to see input from someone in a similar situation.

>>17823791

not OP but i'm currently working toward a job in the medical field.

college calls it medical device repurposing technician (fancy words for device cleaner I gather)

I chose it manly because it sounded like it would avoid dealing with patients. Which has been nothing but the horror stories from all the nurses in the family.

Can you offer any perspective on it?

>>17823457
i did several of those career aptitude tests in h.s.

i already knew i did not want any job dealing with people, had some health problems, so that led to computers

this worked out fairly well for me

medical field is mostly about "helping other people" as opposed to making lots of $$ or cranking code or selling things or cooking food etc, so the whole health care field is people oriented which would drive me nuts

>>17824021

They DO make a lot of money though don't they?

>>17824290
Not that anon, but it depends. And lots of the education involved has interviews to ensure that you're the right sort of person and you have the right motivations

>>17824309
I'm pretty sure they already have an interview just for the Nursing Program in my school. They even ask your teachers about you.

>>17824515
That's exactly what I was talking about.

>>17823457
Look how much you're mentioning your parents in what amounts to completely your own life.
The issue is clear. You want to satisfy others before yourself, so ofcourse your true will is uneasy and indecisive. Even if you were trying to make your life choices with just 1 other person's sights for you as a factor, then you're already at twice the number of perspectives to try and make choices; it doesn't work.

You need to make your own choices. Start learning to be your own man. Mom and dad will always compare, peers will always compare, the world will always compare. Its how we understand things.
Your job is not to satisfy their comparison's favor.
Your job is to crystallize your focus of your own will and live your best life.

Be something better than a nurse that always has to interact with people who can't keep their minds and bodies healthy. That's all I'll say.

i was in the same position as you a couple of months ago cause I thought I had my plans for my future sorted out but i didn't. and that cause a lot of distractions and doing half ass work in class. but now im at a different college now and i found an internship that allows me to experience different areas of a hospital. maybe u should spend time volunteering or go to the career center were they gave help you apply for interships. Cope Health Scholar is a good one. I was told to be a doctor, but i had no passion for it, which I didnt realize til my second year of college. im 23 now and i still dont know what to do, but im allowing myself to be more open to different options. your only 21 you dont need to have your life sorted out. its not a race. time your time and figure out what you love to do. I know it sucks when you see others already having an answer and finishing their career, but it shouldnt matter how long it takes you as long as you get there.

>>17824574
Thing is...I'm already pretty sure I don't want to be a nurse or doctor.

You think I should volunteer for different jobs and get a feel for what I actually want?

I personally don't mind. Just wish I could be more independent. But when parents are always bringing up "So and so is an engineer now.", "So and so is a nurse already.", "...and you'd be making more than them if you were a nurse already.", "You're already behind your cousins in another country because they are already dentists, nurses, models, etc. and you still have 2 years after pre-requisites.". It honestly feels like a race at this point and I feel like to them, I've already failed. More so if brother does better in college than me.

>>17824544
I know it's my life, but I don't know. Maybe it's how I was brought up, but for the most part it has been parent's way or highway basically. Brother ended up much more rebellious, but I ended up quiet, calm, and just willing to give in to them. I've basically held everything in and have horrible self-worth.

Doesn't help that I know they pay for everything and support me because I can't support myself and I basically should let in to whatever they want because of that. Plus I've failed a good amount of college classes wasting even more money. I feel like at the very least I should just do what they want.

Maybe I've answered my own question honestly and should just get a job to live by myself and not hopefully not feel any pressure to do what they want.

What?