Thursday, December 15, 2005

Four. Am I average?

So a table full of giggly, college freshmen girls in my section was talking last night. Usually I'd shove a dirty meat-poking pitchfork into my ear to dig my eardrum out before returning to the table. But, they asked me my thoughts and -- unfortunately -- I both responded and proved their point. I considered hara-kiri. Honorable death.

Blonde #1: "So, Mitzy was saying that people, like, change majors, like, 4 times before they finally graduate."

Me: "Uh huh. I guess. I don't know. Can I get you another Diet Pepsi (before I swallow every painkiller in the first aid kit in the back)?"

Blonde #2: "So, yeah, what about you? Like, How many majors did you have?"

Me: "Well, my parents wouldn't let me go away to school unless I picked a major and stuck to it. (Let's see, 40 packs multiplied by 2 pills per pack...gosh math is so hard.)"

Blonde #3: "Cool. Like, what was your major?"

Me: "Elementary Education. (80. 80 pills. I think that'd do the trick.)"

Blonde #1: "So, like why aren't you teaching?"

Me: "I decided I didn't like kids. (Or there is that new industrial strength bleach...)"

And then it hit me...I've had 4 majors.

Major #1: Elementary Education w/ math, science and social science endorsements.
Duration: 6 1/2 semesters
Reason for leaving: 3/4 of the way through student teaching, I realized I don't like kids.

Major #2: Geography
Duration: Toooo long.
Reason for leaving: (1) Realized that all countries, lakes, rivers and mountains already have names, leaving me with few job prospects. (2) All the geography majors were REALLY wierd. (3) Geography of the Grasslands is REALLY NOT as interesting as the people in the class made it out to be. (4) The ex-elementary ed major should NOT BE THE ONLY person in the entire class of geography grad students who points out problems with Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel." I know I was the only non-white, non-Chicago suburbanite in the class, but come on now people...

Major #3: Secondary Education - History
Duration: 1 semester
Reason for leaving: Re-realized I don't like kids. Slow learner me is, I guess.

Major #4: American Studies

I don't know which was more depressing: Having 4 majors? Proving Mitzy and Co. right?

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