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what did YOU take in school??

Warden

One Too Many
Messages
1,336
Location
UK
I started my school life at Infants school in Essex, (UK) before moving to a school in Buckinghamshire when my parents moved house.

My parents moved again so another school change.

After school I started working in for 6 long years in a department store, after 6 years I had enough of being nice to customers and became a 'roadie' doing stage sound and lighting.

When I was in my mid twenties and I guess I reached that age when you think you should get a 'proper' career and went back to college as a mature student and studied IT. Graduated in 1990,

And that is me, in a nut shell

Harry
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,228
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
BA, double major: Creative Writing & Literature, and History.

I tried to break into the movie business, but ended up as a technical writer doing software documentation. Hey, at least I write for a living...
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
Patrick Murtha said:
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, magna cum laude, Yale University, 1980
Also magna cum laude, Texas A&M University. B.S. in Journalism, minor in Computer Science. (If I'd taken 1 or 2 additional math classes in addition to the prerequisites for CompSci, I could've had a math minor as well. It wasn't worth another semester.)

In progress, Master of Professional Accounting.

Currently working in government contracts in the aerospace industry. In a very general way I'm using elements of everything I've studied. ;)
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
Paisley said:
Drafting, engineering, chemistry, physics, math, ec[ijr iof mklcvfbd

Sorry, I dozed off.
Clearly all that made a great impression on you. lol
 

AmateisGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,126
Location
Nebraska
Doctor Strange said:
BA, double major: Creative Writing & Literature, and History.

I tried to break into the movie business, but ended up as a technical writer doing software documentation. Hey, at least I write for a living...

As a writer myself, I know that's no small feat in today's world! I don't think I could do technical writing, though. I tend to err on the more creative side instead of the technical.

I've been very blessed the last few years to have writing-related jobs. Guess I'm using my minor (English) more than my major!
 

rebelgtp

One of the Regulars
Messages
203
Location
Prairie City, OR
SamMarlowPI said:
that makes perfect sense. the mountains are very dangerous now...i just took a midterm for my soc class yesterday...the 10 week terms are killers lol

yeah i finally got the grade back on that exam, it was good but not as good as i was hoping for ah well. the anth and history are actually to back up the bio, i do some bio field work and some of the areas we go to have some significant historical value. one of our teams last year stumbled onto some old mayan ruins while they were out working.
 

Flivver

Practically Family
Messages
821
Location
New England
I have degrees in engineering and marketing. And while I've always worked in these areas, my degrees acted mainly as door openers. Any intellegent person with a high school education would have had no difficulty in doing any of my jobs, but they wouldn't have been hired without the degree.

The things that allowed me to differentiate myself in my career were things I taught myself...automotive history and understanding consumer purchase motivations based on generational analysis.

I really loved history in high school but we never got much beyond the Civil War! So I taught myself 20th century history.
 
B

BAZ

Guest
I believe I took too much sh*t from sadistic, bullying "teachers" who seemed
to take pleasure in trying to break every child's will to live.
 

Mojave Jack

One Too Many
Messages
1,785
Location
Yucca Valley, California
Wow! Lots of Anthro majors here. Excellent!

I came to archeology in a slightly 'round about way, starting off first as a technical writer, writing computer manuals, too. Bored me silly for three years, so I ditched the job and went back to school.

So here I am after umpteen years of education with an AA in Weather Technology (forecasting), an AA in Aerospace History, a BS in Written Communication, and an MA in Anthropology. Currently I am ABD on my PhD in Public History. I figure I'll be just about done when I finish that one! lol

Cherry bombb, I'm one of those folks that loves their job, too! There's nothing I'd rather be doing (though there are a few other places I'd rather be doing it)!
 

JazzBaby

Practically Family
Messages
559
Location
Eire
Flunked out of my BA degree in English and Classics during my fourth year :eek: In September I'll be doing a Business Studies Fashion & Retail course to become a fashion buyer... but I'd really like to be an author.
 

JazzBaby

Practically Family
Messages
559
Location
Eire
BAZ said:
I believe I took too much sh*t from sadistic, bullying "teachers" who seemed
to take pleasure in trying to break every child's will to live.

Sorry for the double post, but I was just reminded of a famous Pink Floyd song... lol
 

warbird

One Too Many
Messages
1,171
Location
Northern Virginia
Reprinted from a previous thread to save time and effort.

Attended several universities including:
Middle Tennessee State University
Vanderbilt
St. John's College
Virginia
George Washington

Areas of study
Undergrad:
Aerospace
Political Philosophy

Grad:
Classics
Political Management

I did utilize my aerospace degree for a time as a pilot. I spent considerable time working for an aircraft recovery service, going the world over to look for WWI- Korean War aircraft. That was fun. I spent some time as well flying DC-3, Beech 18's and other old haulers for cargo companies, as well as some bush stuff in old Beavers. Unfortunately there was no money in either of the above. I NEVER had any intention of using an aerospace degree to be an engineer, yuck, and didn't want to be a glorified bus driver flying a computer, so disillusioned, I left that world and entered another I had grown up in, politics. The aeropace stuff did help me get into some aviation lobbying positions.

My political philosophy degree is pretty much worthless. For people who don't know the stuff it is useful to learn different forms of government and such. However it teaches you nothing of the way politics works. Since graduating I have had numerous opportunities to guest lecture and I have found the professors actually know even less about the process than I remembered. If you really want a job in politics you're better off majoring in communications or journalism and learning how to write, that's what most organizations need , someone who can write well, oh and sell, they all have to be fundraisers. I have used the education especially the writing aspects as I have made a living writing direct mail pieces, speeches, op-eds and and books. Writing is both learned and natural (you cannot teach a writer to be great only competent IMO). My grandfather made a living as a writer so I guess I come by it naturally.

In the end though I am glad I went through the trouble of getting the education. It provides discipline and shows you can go through bs to complete something.
 

Nick D

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,166
Location
Upper Michigan
BA in History with a minor in English from Northern Michigan Univeristy. I also took several smithing and metalwork courses while there, and now I have my own forge. I'm doing an MA in medieval history now in Leeds, specializing in armour production of the late Middle Ages, and will hopefully be going on to a PhD on the same.
 

SamMarlowPI

One Too Many
Messages
1,761
Location
Minnesota
rebelgtp said:
yeah i finally got the grade back on that exam, it was good but not as good as i was hoping for ah well. the anth and history are actually to back up the bio, i do some bio field work and some of the areas we go to have some significant historical value. one of our teams last year stumbled onto some old mayan ruins while they were out working.

thats cool! i'm just trying to get through statistics..ugh...next term i have intro to bio, soc. media, and museums and tourism...going to be fun...
 

mtechthang

One of the Regulars
Messages
184
Location
Idaho
Some of it was relevant- here and elsewhere

Someone else noted they nodded off during their posting. Well, I'm about to put you all to sleep!! :p

Undergraduate degree was in sociology/anthropology (my University didn't separate the two but I did the anth concentration). Went to grad school in a counseling program and HATED it!!! :eek: Back for another BA in psychology and on to graduate school

Graduate school in psychology (so, yes, I used the undergrad degree). MS and PhD in experimental and developmental psychology. I've been teaching/professing since graduating 1984. I wouldn't trade my education for anything (except maybe a vintage, steel-gray or fawn 7 3/8 Borsalino or one of Art Fawcett's recent offerings!!) :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap Seriously, my education has given me an appreciation for so much - I must have been lucky that I didn't encounter but one or two of those cretins who "try to stomp the life out of youth" :rage: to paraphrase another post. I did dedicate myself not to become one of those!! I do listen to my students. I believe my responsibility is to nurture their curiosity not to build up my ego (good thing!!). ;)
 

Marlowe P.

One of the Regulars
Messages
136
Location
Portland, Or
BA in History with Concentration in the American Labor Movement and a Minor in Poly Sci

I guess I kinda sorta work in my field... But not a day goes by that I don't think about going back Law School- too hard... Writing - who will pay the bills Professional Underwater Basket Weaving- hmmmm... Basically I want to be Art Fawcett now
 

thebadmamajama

Practically Family
Messages
564
Location
Good ol' Midwest
I started out in fine arts with the goal of being an illustrator (still my goal) but hated the criticism and having to crank out things. Like many of you, art burnout. So, I bumped my French minor up to a major and:

BA French, minors in English and Eng/French Translation

Now working on my Master's in French and Francophone studies. In the end I want to write and illustrate, but can't leave that French behind! ;) And, yes, grad school is sucking the soul out. Or I'm just burnt out. Or both. :D
 

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