I wanted to be a biologist when I applied to college but did CS because I was poor and thought getting a masters would be a bad move (debt). I didn't grow up with cable so all I had growing up was pbs kids and the discover channel. I remembered shark week was my favorite time on the Discovery channel. Now I made it this far, 3yoe as a SWE. Got pipped because of toxic manager and can't do any other job. I chose this toxic career because I was poor. I envy others with old money who get the luxury of wasting tuition money on useless majors. Or those with the balls to major in something with a bad ROI. I definitely got my money back but it's almost not worth it now that I'm here. I'd rather live paycheck to paycheck saving a few hundred a month but love what I do everyday. I wanted to work with animals, go scuba diving for work in hawaii or something. Swim with sharks in the ocean. When I was a SWE, I hated my life everyday and felt more depressed than I do now being unemployed. If you're a parent with a kid going to college, tell them to follow their passion. Don't be conservative parents and pressure your kids to take careers that are prestigious and make bank (Doctor, Lawyer, eNgInEeRiNg). Also, please don't tell them to take loans. Pay for their education as they are attending, even if it's just a little bit. I wish my parents did that. Idk how to make a career jump to biology now without going back to school. Gonna try to start working field jobs for wildlife gov't jobs I guess and make almost nothing but I think I'll be happy.
I understand how you are feeling, but remember, grass is always greener on the other side.
Most people don’t have have parents to pay for tuition, you are an adult in charge of your own life. There are plenty of people who go back to school and get 2nd degree in their 30s, no one is stopping you. You can save even more money to pay for your 2nd degree as a swe compared to many immigrants from africa who are coming over getting degrees for nursing, anesthesia, etc…in their 30s. Stop with your ‘pity me’ victim mentality.
There's an alternate universe where you're saying : "I had to do so many more years of school because I picked biology/medicine. I thought I'd be scuba diving and having trips in Hawaii or studying wildlife but instead I'm doing incredibly boring work, the fun stuff Discovery Channel shows you is only 0.001% of reality. If I'd just done CS instead I'd have been able to start earning sooner *and* made more money. My SWE friends enjoy a hot job market 90% of the time and get to work from home even after the pandemic and make twice as much as me. If I had that money and free time I'd be able to actually enjoy my hobbies on the side. Fuck."
I will recommend a book called “courage to be disliked”, and i hope it will help you to think through
Maybe try a non-Amazon company before writing the whole thing off lol
Then leave, I did the same previously
Nobody would pay you 💰 to swim with sharks and dolphins. You would most likely end up in some boring repetitive jobs in a biology lab.
Same feeling to a person who does biology and dirt poor wanted to transition to swe. Perspective
been poor all my life. no desire to be rich
You don't need some BS degree to swim with sharks. I know someone who spent a year on midway atoll counting birds. A CS degree is still a degree. Just go do it.
Here’s how I think about it Be the best SWE you can and make a bunch of money from it Use that money to start something related to animals. If it’s something good it could pay your the same as SWE or more
I disagree. And, I think that's the point of the post as well. Don't do thing you don't love... Instead, maybe, find a job as scuba instructor or life guard or preferably with discovery channel esp aquatic dept.
My point is you can both make money and do something you love You don’t need to love making money, but it may be what allows you to do what you love