PemberDucky wrote:this isn't so much a question about whether college is worth the time and investment anymore. that's a broader debate for another time (prolly never).

i'm curious whether on a daily basis you use all that stuff you were forced to remember in order to earn the piece of paper and the funny hat.

or did you emerge from college and immediately abandon the specialty you thought you'd pursue?

Abandoned it absolutely and immediately.

PemberDucky wrote:this isn't so much a question about whether college is worth the time and investment anymore. that's a broader debate for another time (prolly never).

i'm curious whether on a daily basis you use all that stuff you were forced to remember in order to earn the piece of paper and the funny hat.

or did you emerge from college and immediately abandon the specialty you thought you'd pursue?

Well.... I did use some of the stuff I used for quite a while and the projects in my 400 levels really did get me my first post college job. Several things have happened since then though.

If I'd stuck with the purely natural resources management and kept doing crappy temp jobs, pursued my masters (needed for full time employment) etc, then yes, I'd still be using a fair bit of that stuff, not all, but a good deal of the basics and whatever of the specializations like GIS were applicable. That isn't what I did though.

I had kids, decided my family was more of my priority than field work, and that my job was too dominate. I stepped back, I fell back onto a programming hobby. My last job I could have done more if I'd had a team that allowed me to step away from my primary job to do some of the other stuff, but I was the only programmer. Now I'm trying to decide what I want to do and where I want to apply. I see myself going more tech than dirt, but I know I will miss the science eventually. Part of me would really like to go back to school and play with interests - and was going to on spouse credit, but that's not an option now.

The non-degree centric stuff I learned, the experience and the "safe maturing zone" was invaluable. I wish I'd spent more time exploring and less time being stubborn and sticking with just the program and the drive to finish in 4 (which in science is not smart - 5 or 6 and grabbing a minor is much smarter!)

everything i need to know, i learned in kindergarten. which was the highest grade level i finished.

no1 wrote:everything i need to know, i learned in kindergarten. which was the highest grade level i finished.

it shows.

Josephus wrote:it shows.

thanks! you should try kindergarten sometime, too, it can only help you!