Arts Degree Bummer

JW83

Is there anyone out there who can relate to the awful hollow feeling you get when you finish 4 1/2 years of uni to be qualified for absolutely nothing?! I have to do postgrad next year to make anything of my honours degree & at the moment I am working part-time as a legal secretary, which I absolutely HATE. I think I have a severe case of burnout ...

the_classicist

I'm taking an arts degree, but the idea of an arts degree is to get more degrees afterwards! (I suppose, I could do translation work with only a BA though).

JW83

I majored in history, so I can't even do that!

I'm waiting for my results at the moment to see whether I'll do a PhD next year (including scholarship) or a DipEd (no money) to teach (yuk!) Pretty stressful ... And now I'm back where I started, filing, photocopying, & being treated like crap by solicitors.

ozziepost

But you're a much more educated legal secretary than you were!

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, you're a victim of the increased specialisation that's occurring in the western world.

It means even kids at school are under tremendous pressure to succeed - hence the prevalence of coaching colleges around our way, eh? You may recall the extent of degrees in our family - well I guess what we have learned is that a degree is not an end, it's part of the journey. You will need to have continuing education for as long as it takes. Good grief, Mrs Ozzie and I are still at college!! Not as frantic in our studies as years ago, but still we're continuing to learn and equip ourselves. So treasure that degree for all that it's taken but reach forward for what comes next.

Cheers to all of yours,

Ozzie

the_classicist

I'm waiting for my results at the moment to see whether I'll do a PhD next year

Can you go directly from BA to PhD in Australia? Or did you already finish a masters?

When you're burned out, the thing to do is to take a vacation. Just go camping, something cheap and enjoy nature, and the burn-out will go away.

You could always try a law degree yourself, or something else, like a bus driver, they make pretty good money.

JW83

Yes I can go straight to a PhD if I get first class honours. I would rather kill myself than do law. I can't drive very well! Any more suggestions? I really need some motivation to get through the next 6 months of filing etc ...

JW83

A holiday is a good idea - unfortunately my hubby wants us to save save save so we can buy a house within the next century ... I am broke ... I am working 3 days a week & have a 2yo ... But still a good idea - I'll try to think of a solution!

the_classicist

6 months of filing is better than six months of essaies!

You're lucky to be able to go directly to a Phd. I'd have to do my BA, MA, and then Ph.d (we have a very drawn out education system in Canada).

ozziepost

Classy one:

I think it's the same over here too!

Cheers, Ozzie (permanently upside-down class)

Whiskeyjack

Undergraduate business degrees are losing their currency as well unfortunately (a pox on all stupid MBA's). Unless you're in a technical field, you need 6-7 years of education these days to find meaning ful (and decent paying!) work in western countires now.

Many undergrads have to go to community colleges after their university and hope the earlier education pays off later. Mind you, we have that "block" retirement later this century to look forward to.

W.

Arts Degree Bummer

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