How do you pass the day?

[Lucy]

Ok, I know we have a trillion "nosey" threads - plus the new intro thread, but I was just wondering what people do for a living? Also, I know a lot of you are students, so just wondering what you study? Also any comments on your occupations! How you got there, what you did before, what you would love to do most of all (Unless you're already doing it!). Just for the sheer nosey-ness of it!

I'm training to be an accountant - even though I hate maths! Makes so much sense, doesn't it?! Although I'm not keen on the number crunching I fnd the structure and clients intersting, and every account is slightly different - so it's not *too* monotonous!

I went to college and was going to go to uni but really didn't have a clue what I wanted to do, and it's so much money when you're not 100% positive you want to be there. So I worked for a barristers chambers for a year which was fab as I got to go to court all the time and nosey at people (a hobby of mine if you hadn't noticed!!) and had inside gossip on some of the big stories and stuff, then found a placement at an accountants and they'll pay all my fees for me for uni and stuff!! Yaay! Unfortunately I'm working at the same time so life's a bit hectic at the moment - no student dossing for me!

Eventually I'd like to be in VAT and tax, jsut because it's interesting and it's more knowing the laws rather than the number crunching!! Also, there's loadsa money to be made! Woo!

So, yeah, that's my brief history of employment - how exciting! I'm not sure what accounting is what I really want to do, but to be honest I ahve no idea what else to do! I never have either. To be honest I'd love to be a student all my life, but as I said it's so expensive!! Poop! So, if anyone has some interesting career ideas, let me know!!

[Lucy]

Wow, didn't mean for that post to be so long! Whoops!

[Miska]

lol...dont owrry bout long posts! we love it! hmmm okies well...

im doin a Bsc(molecular biotechnology) which - oh stuff it i really have no idea wat it is about. we're looked at pharmocolgy, chemisrty, drug design (whic hwas quiet fun), biochem/nutrietion and alot of genetics. i guess ive focused on teh genetics side - making of GMO's, population dynamics (evolution and mixing/convergance of populations and wat impact that has on survival), behavioural genetics (how genes influence behaviour) and bioinformatics (the programing and usue of on line programs to do genetics). i thouroghly enjoyed cell signaling adn immunology too - ie the cells reponces to different diseases and stuff.

as for wat im goin to do... i dont no either. was thinking about medicin, but decided no. i love genetics and will prob become a teacher (bio/chem) or a genetic counciler. im finishing my degree this yr, but ill do another one. mite take next yr off...or if i find an honnors project that i like - do that. there is a cell & molecular biology course in boston uni that looks fantastic!!!! so i mite see if i can do that.

a student life is great - but im one who works a 30hr wekk while having a 30uni week too...its to muhc nad too hard, so i dont get to enjoy it as much as i would love to!!! tho there are days where i kill myself! :S

[Squarmi]

Ok. Well silly me missed my train this morning so I've some time on my hands. What do I do? I'm studying Orthoptics at Sydney Uni. 2nd year (of 4) No it isn't feet (the most common guess). Actually it's eye movement. Someone once described it to me as physiotherapy of the eyes. Sounds exciting doesn't it?! We basically deal with disease of the eye and people with eye turns (like cross-eyes, lazy eye etc). Occupation after? I'll be an Orthoptist so there's employment in hospitals and Opthalmologist (eye doctor/surgeon) clinics. We do the stuff the Opthalmologist doesn't want to do, all the preliminary stuff like check vision, take a history, check your the pressure inside your eyes, and visual field tests when they have to be done (Lots of sitting in a dark room bored out of your brain telling the patient that they're doing well and keep watching the central light ). We can't prescribe glasses (yet. maybe soon!!) or drugs ( ) Just exercises. And I want to work mostly in pediatrics when I finish cause love kids.

And while I'm at uni, I'm working for NOSH, which is a catering agency so I work all over Sydney at various functions.

oh yes, and student life is especially fantastic, since I'm a college student and barely a week goes by without something happening

So that's me, sorry it was so long. Hope it wasn't too confusing.

Squarmi

[Dameon]

Wow...

Accounting? Molecular Biology? Orthoptics?

*looks pathetic*

I'm studying a Bachelor of Arts. Yep, plain ol' BA. I'm in my first year, and majoring in History and probably Politics. I also study Archaeology.

I complain a lot about Uni, because I'm one of those people who simply wasn't constructed to spend all my time studying. At least I'm doing the easy degree! The subjects are actualyl quite interesting. I love Ancient History, so I'm having a whale of a time reading lots of Ancient Texts. (Now you know why I'm always reading Roman books, and quoting Medea and The Aeneid at you.
At the moment, I'm studying Medieval History to, which is kinda fun!
I love Politics, my tutes are the best. (I'm a tute girl! Hate lectures, adore tutes! I'd probably quit if it wasn't for my tutes!)

I'm still living at home, but as Canberra is such a small place, commuting isn't a major issue for me. (also, my Dad recently got a job across the road. Thanks Dad!)

My job is the best thing. I'd happily quit uni and work if I didn't think my Mum would have an aneurism! I have two jobs, but it's essentially the same job with two different places.

I work for the local Arts Centre, in a program called Messengers We take High School kids who have Depression, Anxiety and Social Isolation problems, and we take them awy from school for one afternoon every week. Then we do Arts projects with them.
Some of them do Drama and we get them to put on a play, some of them write and we get them to write poetry and stories and stuff, some do art and we get them painting and drawing. We're working on a music program too! The whole idea is to get them to use art to help them "Foster Resilience", ie. cope with their problems.
We also have the Outreach Program, where people like me take plays out into local schools and perform them, to teach the kids about whatever issue. I write the plays, James directs them, and then we perform them. I've written plays about Homophobia, Sex, Depression and the new one is about Dating and Relationships.
I also work for the Community Centre across town (my former boss now works there, so he nicked half his old staff!!!). I do basically the same job there with kids, except it's primary schools, and James and I go INTO the schools and take the kids. The job is a little different there, because it's just the two of us, and I'm in charge. I teach them story-writing, and story-telling.

Argh! I've rambled!!! Any way, to sum up:
When I DO study: History, Politics, Archaeology
When I work: Kids, Problems, Arts
Drama: Community Theatre, issues

Done AND DONE!!!

KSL

[Miska]

wow kayt! that sounds soooo cool!

[avra]

I'm now a first year med student and Melb Uni, after having done a BBiomedSci (Physiological Genomics). Yep, I'm not sure what that means either, but I did a lot of similar stuff to what miska did. Probably focussed more on biochem and physiology in 3rd year as my electives as I actually enjoyed them, and genomics and bioinformatics just because I had to.

I always thought I wanted to do research, well, since from about Year 12 anyway, but then half way through 2nd year, I had a biochem lecturer that really made me start to think. Then somehow I decided that I wanted to do medicine, so went through all the crap that you have to go through to do that. I'm now doing graduate medicine, which means that it's only 4.5 years, instead of 6 years at Melb Uni. The really annoying thing is that not only am I now being taught by the same lecturers as I did for Biomed, but I'm often getting exactly the same lectures presented, same lecture notes and all. *sigh*.

But aside from that (which isnt really that bad, as it makes it easier!) I'm really enjoying it. Every second week we get to go out to the hopsitals and talk to patients and practice abdominal examination and stuff. I know it's pretty pathetic of me, but when I'm there and you see full qualified doctors wandering around, it's hard not to think "that's going to be me one day!" and get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

I'm not compeltely sure where I want to end up at the end of it all. I know that I dont want to be GP, or a surgeon. I'm thinking that I want to be a physician but I'm not sure what my specialty will be, possibly Clinical Genetics sounds interesting, so maybe I'll have to ask you, miska, about that area if you've done any looking in to what that's all about?

After I've finally specialised, I have to go and work in an "area of need" for 6 years, because I had to sign a contract with the Government when I took my place at uni. It's all part of the (stupid) way that theyre trying to get more doctors into rural areas.

So, that's me and my life for the next... 18 years?

[brydie]

wow, kayt!! i'd love to do something like htat!
as for me, i'm still in school...this yr and next yr im doing french, and dance and drama - i cant tell u how much i hate the dance part!! i cant wait until they become separate subjects!! but i'd love to study history (BTW - Kayt, do you know what the difference between ancient and modern hisory is? they offer them as two different subjects at my school...) psycology, maybe philosophy, and i want to be a movie director/writer. big hopes, i know...but when im famous you can all be in my movies!!

[Dameon]

Hey all!

Miska: I assume you be talking about my job, rather than my degree!!!

Avra: Medicine, huh? Go you! You should get into a field that really needs people. Ooh! I know! Become a chiropractor! Then you can practice on me!!!

Brydie: Ancient History is usually Roman, Greek and Egyptian. It might cover Sumeria (the first civilisation) if you're lucky.
History kinda goes like this:
Ancient: Anything between 3500BC and 400-500AD
Medieval: About 400-500AD until roughly 1300AD
Then there are a lot of little periods between 1300 and 1900. They have names like "Post-Colonial" usually.
Modern: This is 1900 onwards.

Personally, I HATE Modern History. Happy to do anything before that, love Medieval and ADORE ancient history. My reccomendation is that you try Ancient History. Greeks and Romans are brilliant. I love them! (Silly Muffins!)
Hope that's helpful.

KSL

[Elspeth]

Great thread, Lucy! I was thinking of doing something similar a little while ago but the idea was stolen from my very brain by a passing shopping trolley.

When I finished secondary school, I honestly had no idea what to do. Everyone else seemed to be going to university, so I thought I'd do that too. I lived in a little town with not much prospect of employment (at least, any employment that wouldn't send me to sleep with boredom), so study sounded like the best idea. I did most of a BA with a major in Professional Writing at Deakin University. It was possibly one of the most boring things I've ever done. The writing course was rubbish and our third year script writing lecturer was a mysoginist, drunken name-dropper who didn't actually manage to teach us anything. The best thing to come out of the three years was a very good friend called Lisa, who is currently teaching English in Italy.

So, after a while of wondering what the hell I wanted to do with my life, I decided it would be a good idea to work with books somehow, while I got on with writing the best-selling book that would lead me eventually to a life of quiet luxury. I narrowed my choices down to working in either a book-store or a library. I chose the library. The next step was to work out how to get there.

It's such a weird chain of co-incidences that eventually led me to study the Diploma of Library and Information Services at Box Hill TAFE. I'd elaborate here, but even though it's a fascinating chain, it's a little boring and lengthy too. Suffice to say, I basically rang up two days before the enrolment day and asked if I could do the course. They said, "Yes, of course." Later, I found out most other people had applied officially through VTAC. If only they'd known they could have just rung up and saved themselves a whole lot of bother and paperwork.

The course ran for two years and introduced me to dozens of fantastic people. I picked up both a second mother and a husband, so it was certainly worth doing! TAFE courses are great, because at some stage, they involve you spending several weeks in a workplace where you can put your newly-learned skills into practice.

So, after two years, I finished my diploma and started applying for jobs. I kept getting interviews, but alas, no job offers. After about two months of searching, I finally got myself a job in a secondary school library. It really is great fun. I get ten weeks' paid holidays a year and all the books I can eat! I haven't bought a book in months, because I can borrow whatever I like from my workplace.

Of course, the dream is to one day be able to support myself (and my Timothy) through my writing. Earlier this year, I wrote the first draft of a book, but I've stalled a little on the second draft. The school holidays are fantastic - they really give me a chance to get my teeth into my writing.

---

It's good to see you back, Lucy. And don't worry about writing long posts. We like long posts.

[HeartoftheDarkness]

wow, you guys all seem to be doing reallyinteresting stuff!!
im still in high school at the moment, and i have absolutely no idea whatsoever about what im going to do once i get out.
Year 12 seems to get closer and closer....

[Delwyn]

all of those jobs sound so cool ;D

alas, i am still stuck in high school *sigh* but my electives are gonna be music and french.
when i leave school, i want to go to uni and study vet science and if i dont get into that, something sciencey like forensic science or something like that.

[Miska]

dont worry avra ill let u no!!!!! cos thats the only reason id be doin grad med! .... kayt i was meanign it all....and buneater that sounds cool...a really 'exprienced' way of gettin somewhere u love rather then jsut thru study/... if that makes sense :S

[Elspeth]

It does make sense, Miska. And it has the bonus of earning me money, rather than costing it.

[Raineth]

Well I left school and married my beau. We had been together for a while and we were & are completetly in love so despite our age and the shock-horror of my friends we did it. We planned to wait and see where he was posted (he's in the military) and then I was going to go to Uni to do Nursing/Midwifery. But found myself pregnant instead. So I'm looking after our two munchkins full time which is so much fun, very rewarding and completely exhausting. Then I'm waiting until they are at school before I go to Uni to do the afore mentioned course. They are two so that won't be for a little while yet but atleast I've had a great deal of practical experience for that midwifery course.

[Cat-Eyes]

Well, I'm in year 9, but I'm going to rant anyway.

Let's see, we do *counts* *opens up resume to try to remember how many* *waits for word to boot*, ok, I'll tell you core in a sec. We do 8 electives and *wait for it* 7 core subjects.

So, the core subjects are Maths, English, PE, Science, Ayin (year 9 program), RE, and LOTE. My LOTE is Chinese (Mandarin).

And my semester 1 electives were Young Writers, Appreciating Literature, Create and Communicate and Larger than Life. My semester 2 electives are In the Spotlight, IT Essentials, History Through the Movies and Food Technology and Culture.

And my preferences for next year (where we only do 2 electives, one each semester, but they encorporate multiple subjects cause you've got so much class time) are Byte Back (IT, Media) and Who am I? Who are You? (Science (psychology)) with my third being umm... I've forgotten the name but it's a music/drama/dance elective.

And yeah...

Cat

[Cat-Eyes]

Are they twins, Raineth?

Cat

[Miska]

ooo thats sounds interestin cat!!! much morethen my boring electives... do u have any clues to wat ull do with them? jsut curious:)..and raineth...thats sooooooo cool!!!!!

[Lucy]

Wow - everyone's so interesting!! Yaay!

It's strange, I read posts from you all almost everyday, yet I wouldn't have guessed some of the stuff you do/have done!!

Raineth, two of my friends just got married and David's in the RAF and Sharon looks after their house and stuff - spooky. Well, kinda. Similar may have been a better word. Anyways, you sound happy.

I'd love to do something like Miska or Avra, but I really don't like science....but it would be fab to know all the stuff.

I'm starting to really wish I'd gone to uni... To be honest the things I'm worried about are cost. I don't want to end up with £10,000 debt with no job at the end of it!! I know people with degrees who work in call centres (no offence to people in call centres of course!!). And choosing the right course! See, each post I read I was like "I'd *love* to do that...no, no. that actually....wait, that sounds great too"...I'm so fickle! But, only 2 years to go and I'm free and accounting...woo, I suppose!!

And thank you Buneater, tis nice to be back, be writing long posts and starting threads! yaay!

[Raineth]

Cat-Eyes said:

Are they twins, Raineth?

Cat

No they are eleven months apart exactly (I was told that you couldn't get pregnant when you're breastfeeding- if anyone says that to you don't believe them). They are just like twins though, they are the same height and the younger one is actually slightly heavier than the older one. the younger one also has the same vocabulary and skills as my older one from having him as her role model all day, every day. Most people think they are twins. It feels like they are twins. They are both two at the moment , in a couple of weeks my eldest turns three.
Your subjects sound pretty cool Cat-Eyes, Lots of English! I loved that subject.

[HeartoftheDarkness]

aaah Raineth, so cute!!!!!
im gonna expand on my subjects a bit
im in year 9 and i dont know what i was thinking when i chose my subjects
i dropped my LOTE class (italian) and overwhelmed myself with history classes, i like history, but i just took on a bit too much. i took on Automotive as my bludge class (i always need at least one). i like my english classes, and at the moment, my english teacher is trying to arrange for me to do V.C.E english next year , and my art teacher is trying to get me to do V.C.E art next year , and then im probably doing V.C.E biology next year (somebody help me!!). A definete school overload

[HeartoftheDarkness]

it has occured to me that i can fix this problem myself
*gets rifle and gos in search of belltower*

[Arien]

wow, all you guys are doing such interesting courses and subjects!!! Raineth, your kids soun really cute ;D
As for me, i'm also still stuck in highschool. year nine..meh. My school really sucks, because we don't have LOTE, agriculture, metal work, automotives or any of those sorta interesting subjects. and if you want to do music and art as electives, you can't. because they're in the same subject line. (sucks big time for me, since i would've done those two if i could, and a language. but noooo)
Anyways, i have 3 electives (one of which is compulsary. psh. elective my...) I took Art, Tech drawing and computers (compulsary...) and i have English, science, history, geography, maths, bib studies and PE/Health for compulsary subjects. I also have history extension, geography extension and maths extension. rejected science extension, because it's evil
When i get into year 11...i wanna do ancient history, art and...i dunno what else. and i have no idea what i want to do after school or at uni and bleh! meh...*hides* i don't wanna finish school..

As for a job...i don't really have one. Sometimes, when our cleaner doesn't come i do it instead and get $80. niiiiiice

[~Ethereal~]

Well, I'm doign a BA at Bendigo LaTrobe. I'm 2nd year and double majoring in History and Philosophy/Religion and Sub-majoring in Lit. I'm not really doign any electives, except the compulsory elective in 1st year which was sociology and politics, which, unlike Kayt, I hated.
I work part time at our local bookstore (the only non-chain in town and in between year 12 and uni I took a year off and worked there full time. It's lots of fun most of the time, but we also supply booklists for the surroundign schools, so summers can be a bit stressful sometimes. Think incredibly stressed out parents and teenagers who have no clue what they're looking for, btu they expect it right now...
That's my exciting life... ;D

[Glynnavyre]

I'm in my last semester of my Diploma of Sports Development at TAFE...
I work as a casual Development officer at AFL Queensland Brisbane West. As part of my 'Resume Bulding', in the football season I'm the Secretary and Team manager at my local football club, I coach Juniors (Under 9's) Football and I am a goal Umpire with AFL Queensland...

I basically live for football and when I'm not doing something football related you can usually find me on here! ;D