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Hey all,
I’m 20 years old and recently graduated from community college with a degree in Human Services (Psych/Social Work). I’m taking a year off from school because I’m not sure if I actually want to go into the helping profession (I’m not sure if that sounds selfish) because I’m also considering to pursue music.
The reason why I wanted to be a psychologist/therapist is that I’ve had points in my life where I felt depressed and hit rock bottom so part of me wants to help others who feel like I have, but I realize you have to have a lot of patience when working with people who suffer from mental illness. I’m not sure if I’m 100% emotionally stable to handle that kind of responsibility. However, I like to listen and try to help my friends whenever they have problems going on. Lately, it seems hard to listen to people I’m not sure why, it goes in one ear and out the other when in the past, I was a diligent listener. Psychology felt like a back up plan too.
I’ve always enjoyed singing and love music. I’ve never pursued it seriously outside of high school choir and school plays, but I wish I did. I feel like it’s a little too late for me to pursue since I’m 20 and don’t even know how to play an instrument and somewhat forgot how to write music. Singing makes me happy but I’m not sure how I would go about it since that industry is unstable when it comes to work and most do not make it far.
Overall, many things interest me but I’m not sure which to seriously pursue which leaves me as a jack of all trades when I want to be a master of one. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you 🙂
Hi xaprithecat,
My first instinct is that you should focus on the psychology/becoming a therapist. For one thing, most people who see you will not have a mental illness, but will be going through: divorce/death/someone else’s addiction/clearing the past. A second thing, when you are paying for therapy, you tend to actually listen to your therapist and follow their gently led questions that you will answer and work on by the next appointment. (Unlike friends!) Lastly, there are many types of paths within that path that you can go into: Life coach, Christian marriage counselor, social service for the elderly/youth, etc., etc.!
Music is great, but with the arts, unless you play music and do art all the time on your own anyway, it generally doesn’t work out. If you love music, it is best to just enjoy it or make it into a weekend hobby band ~ for fun, not money. Money changes the artistic vibe and tends to be harder to come by.
Sending Clarity, Luck, and Light,
Inky
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