Is it bad that I'm in 11th grade and don't know what I want to be?

Question

I'm in 11th grade and I'm homeschooled as of this year and I don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know what I want to become. I really like art, like photography and graphic design. But there is so much talent out there and I most likely will not make it in either of those fields. I want to be successful but I don't know what there is for me to do. Are there any careers in the artistic fields that are not as competitive as graphic design or photography but are still great jobs?

Answer 1

No, not at all.  Even regular ed kids can be unsure of their career goals.

Answer 2

that's bad. here's  what to do. focus on one of the things that you really want to become and be confident in yourself. i'm really sorry but i don't know any other jobs as yet.

Answer 3

no.   I've been out of high school for 3years and i still don't know what i want to be!   i have a few things in mind, but i work so much i don't know when i would have time for school.   but i am going back!  just haven't gotten the details all put together.

Answer 4

That's fine, I knew what I wanted to be in 11th grade, but ended up doing something else and loving it.

Answer 5

I don't think it's bad at all. I just finished high school and am going to college soon. I still don't know exactly what I want. It sounds like you know what your interests and strengths are. Good Luck and have fun with school.

Answer 6

if you have the talent, try to become a childrens book illustrator.

Answer 7

No problem, you are still have a while until collage. But if you are concerned about it I would suggest starting to look into things that sound interesting too you. You can start with hobbies, here are some suggestions for hobbies that might spark an idea of what you want to be,

Web designer, start a website or learn html or java,

Librarian, volunteer for your local library,

teacher, babysit or tutor younger children,

Self employed worker, start a business like a lemonade stand or something of that type,

There are a lot of things you can do to find something you like to do!

Answer 8

Fear not! You've received some excellent answers here, and I'd like to toss in my two cents worth. By the time I finished High School, I was clueless as to what I wanted to do/be, and so I was not able to pick a college. At least you have some focus. What worked for me was jumping in to the work force through Volt temps, Manpower, Select temps, etc. to give myself the feel for what was out there and my aptitudes. This focused my goals and led me to a career that I don't think you could specifically train for--you might say I 'lucked' into it. For you, however, there's a lot more art positions than telescope makers! Also, a stint in the Army gave me confidence and travel experience. There's tremendous opportunity out there--if I wasn't disabled, I'd go right back! Best to you.

Answer 9

I'm a freelance writer/photographer myself, and I know how competitive photography is, but there is also more than enough room for people to be successful in these fields.

I think it is great that you are doing research, but remember that the most successful people are those who do what they love. When you love what you do, no matter how hard a day at work can feel, it never really feels like work.

There's nothing wrong with not knowing by your age what you want to do with the rest of your life... and you are in good company, as not everyone has it all figured out by the time they go to college-- I can't even tell you how many college graduates I know that didn't end up pursuing the field they majored in.

Just keep doing what you're doing-- looking, keeping your options open, etc.

There is a book you might want to look into, it is called "What Color Is Your Parachute?" It contains a very thorough aptitude test that helps you figure out what careers you might be best suited for and most interested in.

Answer 10

Not at all!  It can be helpful to have a general idea but, truth be told, most college students end up changing their majors at least once by their junior year, so don't worry about it so much.  Just the fact that you are leaning toward something in art is great.  I would maybe either go to a liberal arts college or a community college and take classes in a few different art fields to get a better idea of what you like and which direction you might want to pursue.  You can start off as an "art" major and narrow it down to a concentration from there but you can start working on general requirements and art major prerequisites right away before you know where your focus will be.

Answer 11

I'm 36, have written several published books, and have a regular day job.

I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up.  Don't worry so much!

Answer 12

No, not really.

Most kids in college don't fully understand what it takes to be something, hence they ruin it in school taking the wrong major!

Water finds it's own level.

Answer 13

No.  You've got lots of time to decide.  What scares me are 11th graders who know EXACTLY what they want to be.

Answer 14

There is nothing wrong with that. You're perfectly normal. Maybe you should take some classes in the things that you like. Just have fun with it. Take a photography class at a community college. Take some InDesign or Illustrator classes for the graphic design interest. Or take some art appreciation, sculpting or sketching classes. The point is to find what really interests you. You'd be surprised at what you can make a career at. I have a friend who is a graphic designer/photographer. And she loves it. She has an edge over the competition because she can Photoshop and use Indesign or Illustrator to touch up and resize photos.

But, really, just find some fun classes and go from there. You'll do fine.

Answer 15

No, my friend got her degree in graphic design and computers and now owns her own computer company and does work world-wide.  She is not a people person per se. Makes good dough.

Answer 16

don't worry,  I'm 30 & still don't know what I want to be.

Answer 17

Dont worry, i didnt know what i wanted to do when i was in highschool. I decided when i was in college.

If you like art, have you considered architecture? My friend wanted to do art too, but she switched to architecture because she was worried that she wouldnt make a lot of money. The thing with any art related job (like painting, photo, graphic design, etc...) is that your creativity is your selling point and many people, not just one or two have to like your creativity or else your pictures, paintings, designs, etc... wont sell. Its not a bad field, its just a hard and sometimes brutal field.

I also recommend taking this quiz to see any other potential careers for you: http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/quiz/...

Answer 18

There are undoubtedly lots of careers/jobs out there in the field you want to do. You don't really need to know right now. Half of my high school friends changed what they were doing half-way through college, or got a first degree then went back for something else. I'm not joking! There's nothing wrong with not knowing specifically. You're only, what, about 16? You've got time to learn more about what's out there in terms of jobs/careers while you keep learning about what you really enjoy. You can start exploring a bit now what's out there in terms of careers, but don't worry about deciding a specific job. You don't have to be that specific. There are probably jobs out there you've never heard of and will just stumble across when the time is right. Truly. I know plenty of adults who are working in jobs they love--jobs they never knew about or thought about until the opportunity presented itself.

So, don't worry. :) You go to college and study art and graphic design and all that and it will open up possibilities to you.

Answer 19

Others have already answered the first part of your question - you are not sure what career to pursue and that is OK...

So, I will list a handful of career ideas that might work for someone who loves art, photography and graphic design...

Video Game Graphics

Animated movie work (Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks, etc.)

Look into Disney "Imagineer" - this encompasses a variety of technical / creative jobs at Disney

Web design and graphics (think google, yahoo, etc.)

Architecture

Interior Design

The following quote about graphic design jobs is from the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (see first link):

    * About 25 percent are self-employed; many do freelance work in addition to holding a salaried job in design or in another occupation.

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    * A bachelor’s degree is required for most entry-level positions; however, an associate degree may be sufficient for some technical positions.

    * Job seekers are expected to face keen competition; individuals with a bachelor’s degree and knowledge of computer design software, particularly those with Web site design and animation experience will have the best opportunities.

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The second link below lists a variety of graphic design job descriptions that might help...