Comments on: The question

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:27:21 +0000

If you find out, let me know. I’m also attempting to discern what vocation an archaeologist/historian without a PhD has or what jobs I’m actually qualified for. If I find the answers, you’ll be the first to know.

By: Eleni

Eleni — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:40:58 +0000

You’re totally right. Such hard questions.

You answer the way you think people want you to answer–the way you sort of wish was the true and complete answer. If only you were sure that’s what you wanted, it would be so much simpler. Can you wait around until you’re sure what you want for your career? Or do you just go with one good option, because you have nothing better to do right now? I envy the people who know what career they want. The rest of us are just guessing, hoping for the best.

Good luck figuring it out. PhD-to-academia is a good option. At least I’m hoping it is :)

By: Lea

Lea — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:24:49 +0000

I briefly feel lucky that I won’t have to answer these questions for a good four or five years.

By: Jes

Jes — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:08:21 +0000

I have a job and I still can’t answer any of those questions. But then again, i suppose life will get a lot less interesting once I CAN start answering those. I figure, everything has been so defined in our lives for the past five years (j school, then post grad) that maybe it’s a good thing to have a few questions? At least for the time being.

By: Emma

Emma — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:10:38 +0000

I know how you feel. I was getting the same question from everyone in June. I just lucked out, or as one of my church ladies said yesterday, I was blessed. So, keep your chin up Heather, you’re blessed too! Something will come your way!

By: Faebala

Faebala — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:04:05 +0000

In my opinion, the “who are you?” question is one that absolutely no one can answer until they’re on their deathbed and then the question is, “Who were you?”

And it’s about which roads you took to expand your horizons as far as they could go. So far you can say you’re a girl with two degrees, who has lived in three countries, who has traveled to even more than that, who has experience in museums, history, archaeology, journalism, photography and writing. A girl who has tried her hand at painting, guitar, singing, dancing, video making and more.

So the question of “What next?” shouldn’t mean “What are you going to do next?” but instead, “What haven’t you done yet?” without the ominous strings attached. You have opportunity and a lot of experience to back yourself up and all at only 23 years old. So what next should be an exciting question, so that over the next 23 years, you’ll have an even longer list under your belt.

Jus’ sayin’.