Adulting and Academic Shenanigans?
This is going to be long, I apologize in advance.
So I'm 18, a baby adult. I have a full ride scholarship that lasts for 3ish more years or until I complete my bachelor degree (I already have my associates). The first problem is that I can't really decide what to do. I have so many interests and things that I want to do. I can't just pick ONE thing to settle down with for my career, I've gotta have variety.
I'm interested in clinical counseling, professional flight and aviation, real estate, education (as a professor in English or psychology), and law. I figure if I do everything mostly right I should be able to dabble in each one of these while maintaining a primary steady career (either counseling, or aviation I think). I want to be a professor later in life so it's not something I'm too focused on at the moment. I also would love to spend at least a decade doing real estate. Law is more at the bottom of the list.
One of my life goals is to have two PHDs; I don't care what they are in. Also, I really want to travel (that's my primary life goal) and help people (keep in mind I want to travel more as something I do for fun). With the progress I've already made I could knock out my psychology bachelors by the end of next year. So I thought, hey, to double up and make the best of my scholarship, I'll do the course work for two bachelors degrees (psychology and English maybe?) and get a head start on my two PHDs. If I did both of them I should be done in 2 and a half to three years (for both bachelors).
Only problem is I'm getting a lot of different opinions about it. Some people say I should just knock out the PHD as soon as possible and get into whatever career path it's for and not even bother with the second degree, while others are saying I should make use of my scholarship and get as much free school as I can. I don't know what to do or which to choose. I'm not going to get a degree for aviation, I'm just going to go to flight school and get my license/s. I should be able to get my ppl (professional pilots license) at least by the time I finish my two bachelors or masters.
I want to do all of the previously mentioned things the only problem is I don't know how to go about it to make the most of my time, money, and youth. I'm also under a ton of stress right now, not only because I have to maintain As but also because I'm moving (I don't know where I'm going but my parents are moving on with their lives and they are nudging me out of the "nest") and because my dad has seriously high expectations for me and a whole idea of what I should do. He wants me to be a surgeon (or physician's assistant at least). Like he REALLY wants me to do it to the point that he condemns and sometimes mocks my desire to be a pilot and/or psychologist. I don't want to let him down but every time I talk to him and he tells me that I won't make any money as a pilot or psychologist and that I'm throwing away my scholarship and the great medical program that my school offers, I wonder if he's right.
I really do want to make money, I want to travel and see the world, but I also want to do what I like and have an interest in, and I've never really been interested in medicine; I hate the vibes and I hate needles and I don't like the lighting or smell (I spent a while in the hospital when I was younger and I've never been able to get past that smell of sickness). I mean I have no problem with blood or guts or broken bones, but it's not something I want to seek out; but would the money be worth it?
Anyway, I'm at a huge crossroads right now. I just feel like a failure who can't make up their mind. I want to meet my fathers, expectations, find a career I love, and do all of the things I want to do in life. I just don't know what decisions to make to get me there. I don't know what the "real world" is like, I don't know what's going to be the most valuable decision... Any advice would be welcome please and thank you.
Oh wow, it sounds like you have a lot going on for you. The first thing that came to mind, in regards of what you want to be doing with your life and your dad's expectations. Have you thought about Doctors Without Borders? That way, you're still traveling (whether that be through your aviation dream), and somewhat be meeting your dad's expectations as becoming a surgeon.
All I can say, is to follow your heart. Do what you want regarding your career. In the end, it is your life~
@SmallsJr