[A Beautiful Struggle]

So I've been having this SERIOUS dilemma. I dont know whether I should stick to my original plan (which btw is not going very well ) and continue my studies to be a pharmacist, or if i should try and go for my dream goal which is to be a writer (and perhaps painter as well).


I am quite aware of the differences in the paycheck.. but I do love writing so very much.



If I become a pharmacist

that's easy.. i just have to finish my planned out years, finish pharm school, and i'll be good.




If I go for writing/painting

I would....???

I guess I would have to apply to an art school.. or a writing school? o.o

I dont know what i'd do.

Are there such things as a school for writing?






*Please reply with the vote!!
I just wanted to know what people thought.. =]



** My mom's always said that i could do Pharm AND writing/painting on the side... but
1. writing and art TAKES UP A WHOLE LOT OF TIME
2. i want to become a professional writer

[lackluster]

lol hey we are in the same level..
i had to choose between photographer, nurse, musician, artist, visual art media, doctor, firefighter, etc..

but i picked nurse, why? economy is going down slowly and i'm sure photographers would lose their jobs because they wouldn't be high in demand

i also love writing also.

but think about your future, can that type of career support your family?
is it competitive?
will the job be stable?
etc..

i say be a pharmacist.

[ngaouction]

if you want to be a writer, you can major in english. many schools have creative writing programs/emphasis for english majors.

you already know in your heart that you want to be a writer/painter. you just need to convince yourself of it. talk to people. talk to college counselors. go to career centers. it's your life.

[uandme4ever21]

So I've been having this SERIOUS dilemma. I dont know whether I should stick to my original plan (which btw is not going very well ) and continue my studies to be a pharmacist, or if i should try and go for my dream goal which is to be a writer (and perhaps painter as well).
I am quite aware of the differences in the paycheck.. but I do love writing so very much.
If I become a pharmacist

that's easy.. i just have to finish my planned out years, finish pharm school, and i'll be good.
If I go for writing/painting

I would....???

I guess I would have to apply to an art school.. or a writing school? o.o

I dont know what i'd do.

Are there such things as a school for writing?
*Please reply with the vote!!
I just wanted to know what people thought.. =]
** My mom's always said that i could do Pharm AND writing/painting on the side... but
1. writing and art TAKES UP A WHOLE LOT OF TIME
2. i want to become a professional writer

Point 1: why not just major in english/art and just take the prepharm classes. You don't have to major in any science courses. You can major in anything you want as long as you do well in your. if anything, you would stand out to adcom.

Point 2: Many pharmacist work part time or at night or on the weekends. That is why so many females go into pharm, it offers them more lifestyle choices. You can write full time, and just work as a pharmacist on the weekend. Your weekend pay will be as much as a regular person working full time. So do the opposite, write full time and do pharmacy on the side. Basically do the opposite of what your mom is saying.

Point 3: How badly are you doing in the prepharm classes? If you are really doing very badly, then that usually indicates that you either don't enjoy what you are learning or just plain horrible at it or that you need to change ur study habbits or get a new professor or new school. Either way, don't lie to yourself if you hate what you are learning. If you have 0% talent and more importantly, 0% desire in the field, you will fail as a pharmacist. So my best advice is be honest with yourself and find out what you like to do first.

However, I say the best plan maybe is to be a writer and do pharm on the side. That is one great advantage of being a pharmacist is the fact that you can do it part time and it is more lifestyle friendly.

[globosapien]

Point 1: why not just major in english/art and just take the prepharm classes. You don't have to major in any science courses. You can major in anything you want as long as you do well in your. if anything, you would stand out to adcom.

Point 2: Many pharmacist work part time or at night or on the weekends. That is why so many females go into pharm, it offers them more lifestyle choices. You can write full time, and just work as a pharmacist on the weekend. Your weekend pay will be as much as a regular person working full time. So do the opposite, write full time and do pharmacy on the side. Basically do the opposite of what your mom is saying.

Point 3: How badly are you doing in the prepharm classes? If you are really doing very badly, then that usually indicates that you either don't enjoy what you are learning or just plain horrible at it or that you need to change ur study habbits or get a new professor or new school. Either way, don't lie to yourself if you hate what you are learning. If you have 0% talent and more importantly, 0% desire in the field, you will fail as a pharmacist. So my best advice is be honest with yourself and find out what you like to do first.

However, I say the best plan maybe is to be a writer and do pharm on the side. That is one great advantage of being a pharmacist is the fact that you can do it part time and it is more lifestyle friendly.

very good advice.

i was in your same position for a year. i didn't know what to do really. my parents wanted me to become a pharmacist perhaps for the same reasons your parents want you go into pharmacy. they wanted me to have a stable job in a respectable field, and they supposed that pharmacy would be the perfect field since i'm a girl. well, the problem is i didn't have any study skills because i was the most laziest student in HS, and by the time i was taking college level bio and chem, i could barely catch up to what was going on.

i really think that it also depends on how good you are as a writer. have you been complimented by teachers (friends don't count as much, although their opinions are important)? i think talking to an advisor also helps. just to let you know becoming a writer is a long road. the chances of success depends on how many risks you're willing to take, while becoming a pharmacist making $90-$150K+ a year is pretty much guaranteed as long as you put yourself through 6-8 yrs of rigorous education.
take some science classes in college, see if you enjoy them, and also take some english classes on the side... and find out what you like.
from there, i hope you can make a decision and go through with it.
ask yourself this question right now: "If i choose to become a *fill in the blank*... will i be happy 10 years from now or 20 years from now?"
choose something that you won't regret.

[Jay Chou]

If I become a pharmacist

that's easy.. i just have to finish my planned out years, finish pharm school, and i'll be good.

but the biggest problem is actually GETTING into pharm school...not as easy as you think.

[liljewelz]

Do both! You can always write/paint on the side until you make a lot of money being a pharmacist and then quit!

Don't give up your dreams, it's SO not worth it. I wish I hadn't given up mine.

[EYJAYJAY]

never give your dreams up. i faced the same choice, physical therapist vs photographer. i chose physiclal therapist because i didnt get into photographer till the end of my sophomore year which is kinda late and it's not like im doing bad in PT. but.. i do wish i had the choice in the first place, i'd love to go to artschool.

if you are still a freshmen, i'd say go for your dream if that's what will make you happy. or, you could become a pharmacist and do writing/painting on the side just as hobbies. OR you can be a pharmacist, save up money, and take some time off later when you are in a good financial situation and go to artschool and/or get an english major. keep in mind.. pharmacy = good pay and less school time compared to pre-med but it's not really exciting (when u have to memorize tons and tons of names for medicines)

[strykers12]

Become a pharmacist and write in pharmacist journals!

[uandme4ever21]

Become a pharmacist and write in pharmacist journals!

You mean become a medical writer. A lot of pharm/biotech companies hire medical writers (sometimes they are called medical communications) to write all of the educational pamphlets and brochures on their meds. Usually these jobs require a MD, PharmD, or PhD and sometimes a RN will do. However, these jobs are difficult to get. High paying jobs though. But yes, you can combine the two, if you enjoy that type of writing.

[Paradox]

Well, when making the choice I think you should really think about how you're going to feel in the future. If you become a pharmacist, are you ever going to be completely happy/content with that? If not, now is the time to change it instead of halfway through your life after you already have a job.

You could always do something, like someone said, that involves writing but is still a secure job. I'd love to be a novelist, but I know the chances of breaking into that and becoming an author is slim to none. I've decided to study Photojournalism, where I can write and photograph. I'd be doing it for the media, and have to write for the "people", but I'd still be doing what I love and getting paid. Everyone wins

[the.elephant]

if you're a creative writer then go do what you love

but if you like pharmacy then do pharmacy because it pays more and mroe security

[na6ar3b0sh1]

wow! very difficult choice here. well since u already starting to study pharmacy, why not continue? then it will be a waste of money. both jobs are carefree and lay offs. easy to accomplish.
i think pharmacy is good. well first, you started already, why stop. and second, u don't have to go to work everyday.

[uandme4ever21]

wow! very difficult choice here. well since u already starting to study pharmacy, why not continue? then it will be a waste of money. both jobs are carefree and lay offs. easy to accomplish.
i think pharmacy is good. well first, you started already, why stop. and second, u don't have to go to work everyday.

Easy, money can be made up. A life can not. You can throw away money a lot easier than to throw away the rest of your life. Wasting the rest of your life vs wasting a couple of thousands of dollars and a few years of your college life, a person should choose wasting money and the few years of college life. You will work well into your 70's, so there is plenty of time to make money.

[lidge_fan]

i agree with your mom on this one
she's not telling you to give up your artistic dream
she's just looking out for you
if you become a pharmacist, you can do the painting/writing thing on the side and if you're successful, then you can do it full time

[mangocake]

if you love your work, then you will never have to work.
so, if you love writing, then you will never have to work ever, because when you're writing, it's not "working", it's doing something you love so you enjoy every minute of it, i think you'll be happier that way.

[sunshine4ever]

I say writer, well, only because I think I'm better at writing than trying to remember the stuffs a Pharmacist needs to remember. Your mom is right though ^^ you can do both if you wish to. Just follow what you like to do though. Sometimes having lots of money may not make your life happy because you're not comfortable doing what you are about to do.

[_ambrosia]

You can become a pharmacist and get stable then start writing again. or go into writing, since it seems like that's your dream, and become a pharmacist later if things aren't so great. Your mom's advice is pretty good to me lol. It's not like being a pharmacist takes up a lot of time (8 hours a day is good enough?).

[MUXU]

i seriously think you can do both
writing and painting doesnt result within one or two days...it takes time
i dont see why you cant take some time aside from your day to paint or to write while you be a pharmacist during the day

the thing with writing and painting is..you dont actually have to go to a school for 4 years to become one
as long as you got your technical skill pinned down..it's all on your own

[AznBetty]

ugh... i picked the wrong one. i picked writing cuz i was feeling optimistic.
but i really wanna pick pharm.

Writing is pretty hard and competitive. its really iffy. you should major in pharm, or anything else that you can really make a living with, and just write on the side. you could totally be a writer on the downlow. you dont need a degree for that.