Majoring in something non-STEM - but almost finished with it. Drop out anyway?
12-01-2016, 02:26 AM
I began college in late 2008, in my early 20s, disgruntled, and unable to find a direction. (I'd also nearly dropped out of high school but graduated a semester late.) Community college was a breeze, then I partied too hard when moving to a big university and took a year off after nearly flunking out. I was a history major who didn't want to teach, and I wanted something that could mix historical knowledge with something internationally based. I've always wanted to travel extensively, and possibly work for a company or the government under a friendly U.S. presidential administration.
When I returned, I found a major/minor combination - International Studies with a minor in History - that gelled well with this. Sadly, I soon slumped back into my original disgruntled state. I enjoyed just working far more than I did school, and wondered if majoring in something I figured I could learn or figure out on my own was even worth it.
I just got back from studying abroad for two semesters - and this feeling has only intensified, as I was inching toward fluency toward my chosen language overseas, far faster than with any stupid class. I was also reading far more than I ever had and outperforming all of my peers.
I have a year and a half left of school, but due to not wanting to take out more loans (and having limited family help financially), the whole process is going to take about two to two and a half years, since I need to work full time in order to pay rent and tuck away some extra money. I need sleep, so part time school is the only way I can inch toward the finish line.
I want to prepare to live abroad and become fluent in a second (or possibly third) language *now*, not in four to five years, and I'm convinced I can get work, degree or no degree. My family is sympathetic, but they think walking away from 50K of college debt (especially after I'm three quarters of the way there) is foolish. I've not bothered talking to college officials - I know they're going to tell me to stay.
tl;dr - I have over 50K in college debt in a degree I'm convinced I'm probably not going to need. Should I walk away?
When I returned, I found a major/minor combination - International Studies with a minor in History - that gelled well with this. Sadly, I soon slumped back into my original disgruntled state. I enjoyed just working far more than I did school, and wondered if majoring in something I figured I could learn or figure out on my own was even worth it.
I just got back from studying abroad for two semesters - and this feeling has only intensified, as I was inching toward fluency toward my chosen language overseas, far faster than with any stupid class. I was also reading far more than I ever had and outperforming all of my peers.
I have a year and a half left of school, but due to not wanting to take out more loans (and having limited family help financially), the whole process is going to take about two to two and a half years, since I need to work full time in order to pay rent and tuck away some extra money. I need sleep, so part time school is the only way I can inch toward the finish line.
I want to prepare to live abroad and become fluent in a second (or possibly third) language *now*, not in four to five years, and I'm convinced I can get work, degree or no degree. My family is sympathetic, but they think walking away from 50K of college debt (especially after I'm three quarters of the way there) is foolish. I've not bothered talking to college officials - I know they're going to tell me to stay.
tl;dr - I have over 50K in college debt in a degree I'm convinced I'm probably not going to need. Should I walk away?