If you could do it all over again....

[NachoProblem]

What would you do differently?

I would have gone down a different career path. I'm currently a PhD student in cell biology and I probably would have gone to vet school..... or stayed away from the sciences all together.

[birkbop]

I want to say "I'd do this, this and this differently", but I really love where I am at right now (albeit, not 100% happy with everything all the time, but who is?) and wouldn't change the path I took to get here.

I made some mistakes, I learned from them, and now I know to not make them again. Some of those mistakes were pretty awful and put me in a dark place for a bit, but it ultimately has made me a better person and I don't want to change that.

[NachoProblem]

Jun 1, 2012 8:15:16 GMT -5 birkbop said:

I want to say "I'd do this, this and this differently", but I really love where I am at right now (albeit, not 100% happy with everything all the time, but who is?) and wouldn't change the path I took to get here.

I made some mistakes, I learned from them, and now I know to not make them again. Some of those mistakes were pretty awful and put me in a dark place for a bit, but it ultimately has made me a better person and I don't want to change that.

LOVE this. :Y:

[sailorgray]

1) I would have stayed an education major (my degree is in psych)
2) I would have lived on my own (no roommates) for a year
3) I would have studied more and partied less in college

[treedimensional]

Hmm...
I would have gotten married at the courthouse, and skipped the ceremony BS with the inlaws. Or not have gotten married maybe. I definitely wouldn't have even attempted to take my spouse's name (biggest mistake).
But those are still pretty minor things. I really don't regret my choices on life's path. All the seriously bad things were beyond my control.

[NachoProblem]

I have another one. I would have taken more classes for fun in college. Even though people told me, I didn't realize that was the last time I had to spend large amounts of time learning about stuff I was just interested in and wouldn't need for life.

[birkbop]

Jun 1, 2012 8:28:35 GMT -5 NachoProblem said:

I have another one. I would have taken more classes for fun in college. Even though people told me, I didn't realize that was the last time I had to spend large amounts of time learning about stuff I was just interested in and wouldn't need for life.

I took ballet and step aerobics (ballet was 2 credits, step class 1), and I'm so glad I did! Having to attend class was motivation to get my butt up and moving and I lost 8 pounds that semester lol!

[billysgirl07]

I would have gone to Graduate School directly after receiving my undergrad degree. I'm in the process of going back now (currently studying for my GMAT and it SUCKS) and I totally wish that I would have done this 10 years ago...

[emjacobs]

I would have changed majors after my accident to something more marketable. Probably would have followed my heart into education, it really wouldn't have changed much of where I'm at now all my big things I could have done no matter what job I was at.

[smallysmallz04]

I would have went to college and not wanted to grow up so quick. I moved out at 18 and worked fulltime ever since. I'm going to make sure DS doesn't have to work till after college!

Sent from my SCH-R920 using ProBoards

[delicateshamu]

Definitely a different career path. I hated graduate school and pushed through only to get jobs that I hated even more. So now I have a load of student loans that I get to pay off for the rest of my life, ha. Joy! BUT. Last year I got out of the profession, and I do like the job I have now. I couldn't have gotten this position without a master's degree, so there is that.

Also, if I had to do it again, I don't think I would have gotten married so young. I didn't think I was young at the time (almost 24), but I still had a lot of growing up to do.

[niknik]

Definitely a different career path. I was an Equestrian Science major and I have a Masters of Education (no teaching cert) and I can't find a job to save my life. There is almost nothing I can do except work in the horse field but that isn't really compatible with family life or having a life outside of the barn at all. I would love to go back to work but can't find anything to do or that I am skilled to do.

I also wished I had met dh sooner so I could have had more kids but I love the two I have so I won't be greedy.

[Deleted]

I would have flipped my parents the bird and been a hairdresser like I wanted. They told me I had to major in Accounting or Finance or I'd die penniless. My hairdresser makes more money than I do and loves her job.

[futurepivko]

I would've gone to the school I got my degree from first. I went to a private college because I followed my xbf (ughhhhhhh) and I transfered between my sophomore and jr year. I transfered to the college I originally did not want, because a) so close to home and it's a popular choice amongst the kids who grew up in my hometown and b) because my sister went there. Petty reasons.

[futurepivko]

Oh, and sometimes I wish H and I had moved in together before we got married. We had no interest, and I graduated from college 2 years after him. We could've moved in after I graduated but he was living with a friend for really cheap and was knocking out his student loans, and I was living at home working. It did work, but I was sad most of the time only seeing H once a month.

[misshark122]

I wanted to be a physical therapist and I probably should have stuck with that! Or done PT assistant at the very least.... it's only a 2 year program and my friend never has a problem finding a job and makes like 80k for a 2 year degree.

[bimbi284]

I definitely would have kept singing in some regard...I was in choirs since I was 10 all through college and my master's program, but once I got to Chicago for my doctoral program, I sorta slacked on finding a choir. I keep wanting to take voice lessons at least so I'm singing, but its expensive dammit.

I also would be painting more.

I can't imagine NOT doing what I'm doing now though with regard to what I'm studying, but there are some little things I would have done differently so my ass wouldn't be so stressed right now. I am currently at risk of potentially not being competitive for an internship because I focused too much on my specialty (substance abuse treatment) since my masters rather than doing more generalist work (general psychotherapy)...so now my experiential hours are mostly substance abuse, which is great for everything besides internship, which I need to do to graduate. Its annoying because my training director has been all supportive of my focusing on my specialty and has been all excited about everything I've been doing...up until about 2 weeks ago. Stupid school. Leave it to me to choose a field that would take TWELVE years of schooling. Grrr.

Rant over.

[FormerCityGirl]

I'm happy with what I'm doing now, but it took a lot to get here. I'm glad I didn't take undergrad too seriously and got my MBA. I took that degree very seriously and only have 6 classes until I have a Master's in Project Management. I've loved most of my jobs and wouldn't change that. I feel like my networking is getting stronger and I'll end up exactly where I want to be.

I would have changed DH and I giving up the beach house to move to rural BFE since I can't stand this place. That would mean more student loan debt, but nothing we couldn't handle. Rural life is not me at all.

[dominique12i9]

1. I wouldn't have switched my undergrad from secondary ed/english to PR (and ultimately graduated with a degree in PR)...because I would've graduated during a period of time where it was easy to get a teaching job, since I went back to grad school to get an education degree anyway when I realized that I didn't want to work in PR.

2. I wouldn't have used all of my student loan refunds for expensive jeans and cheap vodka...I should've given them back!

3. I wouldn't have wasted 4 years of my young life with my douche of an ex-bf. I should've had more fun and not let him dictate my life at the time.

4. I would've told and showed loved ones that I've lost that I loved them more often.

[misshark122]

Jun 1, 2012 12:54:12 GMT -5 @amydrinkie said:

I would have flipped my parents the bird and been a hairdresser like I wanted. They told me I had to major in Accounting or Finance or I'd die penniless. My hairdresser makes more money than I do and loves her job.

OMG this is like my dad!! I wanted a degree in social work and he told me I'd be poor forever and wouldn't "let" me major in it.... so I majored in something even more worthless, criminology.

[Deleted]

Jun 1, 2012 14:04:32 GMT -5 cab1217 said:

I hate to say this... because I loved what I did when I did it at the time... but I wish I didn't choose cosmetology as a career path. I hated doing hair, so never did it, and stuck with skin care and makeup, but the farthest it got me was managing retail stores or training staff. I wish I kept it a hobby like I do now, an focused on other career paths, like marketing. Now, I am waiting for my H to finish school to get back in. I know they say that it's never too late, but I'm going to feel mightly weird going to school at 33-34 years old.

I went back to school in my 30s for my second career and I actually considered it a bonus. I believe that when you're young and going to school, your motivations might be external (everyone's doing it, mommy and daddy said to, etc) but as you get older and more mature, your motivations turn inwards and that, I believe, helps you learn and apply the knowledge in a totally different ways. Going to school for something you love/adore/wish you could learn to do is totally different to going to school because that's what you're supposed to do. Use your life experience in your schooling - it'll only serve you well. GL!!

[nsl]

I have very few real regrets, but one of them is definitely not starting grad school until after I had kids. Life would be a lot easier for all of us if I'd started my program 6 years ago.

[Deleted]

I wish I had recognized and then had my anxiety treated in law school. I had a really, really hard time dealing with the Socratic method and competition, and had issues with major stomach aches, dreading going to class, etc. At the time, I didn't realize that this was a pretty major overreaction. It turns out that I have generalized anxiety disorder, and being thrown into a stressful environment like law school really triggered serious anxiety. To deal, I stress ate and I gained 50 pounds just in my first year (holy shit).

It was right after graduation that I finally realized that it wasn't normal to have physical symptoms like that, including mild panic attacks, and finally talked to my doctor about it.

Looking back, I'm really sad that I didn't get help sooner. If I had received proper treatment, it would have saved me a ton of stress and worry, and I also wouldn't have turned to food to deal with it.

[futurepivko]

Jun 1, 2012 11:55:54 GMT -5 niknik said:

Definitely a different career path. I was an Equestrian Science major and I have a Masters of Education (no teaching cert) and I can't find a job to save my life. There is almost nothing I can do except work in the horse field but that isn't really compatible with family life or having a life outside of the barn at all. I would love to go back to work but can't find anything to do or that I am skilled to do.

I also wished I had met dh sooner so I could have had more kids but I love the two I have so I won't be greedy.

I love my horse, but this is why I didn't major in that.

[futurepivko]

Jun 2, 2012 12:37:13 GMT -5 @godawgs said:

I wish I had recognized and then had my anxiety treated in law school. I had a really, really hard time dealing with the Socratic method and competition, and had issues with major stomach aches, dreading going to class, etc. At the time, I didn't realize that this was a pretty major overreaction. It turns out that I have generalized anxiety disorder, and being thrown into a stressful environment like law school really triggered serious anxiety. To deal, I stress ate and I gained 50 pounds just in my first year (holy shit).

It was right after graduation that I finally realized that it wasn't normal to have physical symptoms like that, including mild panic attacks, and finally talked to my doctor about it.

Looking back, I'm really sad that I didn't get help sooner. If I had received proper treatment, it would have saved me a ton of stress and worry, and I also wouldn't have turned to food to deal with it.

I'm sorry to hear all of this, but I am glad you got help and that you are on the road to a better lifestyle.

[preppy]

I would have picked a different major. I went into sciences because my parents wanted me to but I really wish I had done something in merchandising or event planning. But I am glad I went to the school I did since I met my husband there:)

[mrsacornblue]

Jun 2, 2012 12:37:13 GMT -5 @godawgs said:

I wish I had recognized and then had my anxiety treated in law school. I had a really, really hard time dealing with the Socratic method and competition, and had issues with major stomach aches, dreading going to class, etc. At the time, I didn't realize that this was a pretty major overreaction. It turns out that I have generalized anxiety disorder, and being thrown into a stressful environment like law school really triggered serious anxiety. To deal, I stress ate and I gained 50 pounds just in my first year (holy shit).

Me too GoDawgs! Although, mine started to get really bad when I went to graduate school for my nurse practitoner degree and I was concurrently diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I didn't seek treatment until earlier this year, so I went for about two years getting progressively worse. I'm still not perfect but I feel so much better now. I just wish I hadn't waited until I wasn't sleeping AT ALL most nights and spending most of my days in a constant worry over everything.

My other regret is not looking at more houses before we bought the one we're in now. We never rented and while I love my house, we could have gotten so much more for so much less. Plus, we probably can't sell ours until the market recovers.

[karebear304]

The only thing I can really think of is hooking up with guys. I definitely could have hooked up with less guys and been fine with it. I was a little promiscuous back in the day!

Everything else I'm fine with. Even though I have a degree I don't really use I'm glad I have it. I would like to go back to school at some point too, but I'm not sure what for.

[Deleted]

Jun 1, 2012 8:15:16 GMT -5 birkbop said:

I want to say "I'd do this, this and this differently", but I really love where I am at right now (albeit, not 100% happy with everything all the time, but who is?) and wouldn't change the path I took to get here.

I made some mistakes, I learned from them, and now I know to not make them again. Some of those mistakes were pretty awful and put me in a dark place for a bit, but it ultimately has made me a better person and I don't want to change that.

I completely agree with this. This was essentially my answer. If I had decided a different path for myself who knows what would have happened. Plus I would not have changed a thing if it meant not having my 2 beautiful boys.

[maucat]

I wish I'd taken a year off between high school and college, or taken a whole year off in college. I was so burnt out that I put in the minimum effort, which made it difficult to pursue a graduate degree and made the process take longer. However, if it would mean not marrying my husband, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Besides, all my struggles have helped me be who I am today and help me empathize with my clients.

Sort of the opposite of bimbi, I wish I could figure out a specific specialty. I feel like I'm just a "general therapist" and am wondering how on earth I'll market myself once I get into private practice. I wish my Master's program had focused on us developing specialties. Maybe that's what the PsyD I'm not sure I want would be good for?