am i making the right decision?

[Tash]

hello all, i've come across some kind of dilemma in which i'm not sure i should be doing the degree i'm doing. for those who don't know, i'm doing a B.Fine Arts/B. Arts, which is great, except my major, painting/drawing is teaching me absolutely nothing and is the biggest waste of time on the planet.
my main problem is, with my plans to become an illustrator, or have my own business designing cards, t-shirts, paintings etc, might blow up in my face, because it's hard to be decently successful in the creative arts and have a decent flowing income.
So i thought what if i switch degrees next year and do a B.Music/B.Education, as a backup, so if the whole art thing doesn't work out, then i have the qualifications to do something else that's going to get me a decent income and it's in an area that i love. And then i can focus more on my piano and skills around that.  the only problem with that is that i have to spend another 4 years at uni, but i can deal with that.
as for the art, i wouldn't be completely rejecting that, i want to do some courses at a really good art school in the Rocks, so then i can pick what classes i do and will learn a lot and improve my technique from them.

i just wanted to run that idea past you all and see if you think this is a good idea, or whether i'm just wasting even more time? i know you don't really know me, but i really don't know what i want to focus on in the end. like those older members i'm hopeing you might have some insightful advice, being experienced in the whole career thing.
and i've just added a poll for the fun of it, cos i'm obsessed! and yes if you think it's all up to me then tell me to stop wasting everyone elses time and make the decision for myself.

thank you all so much for taking the time to read this!

[dinosaurtales]

If you can conjure up the time to do a double major, I woiuld definitely recommend it.  I would have loved a double in music and art, but that's a bit dicey.  You might consider a double with business?  Both art and music are actual "industries" you know, and that edge might land a decent job.

[ted]

I cannot advise you about specific decisions. Owing to the unpredictable nature of today's society it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to have any definite plans for life. My son completed his first degree but he really has no idea about what to study next or whether to study at all.

At the core of it all is the issue of what is likely to make you happiest in life. Many people, even older experienced ones, do not really know what makes them happy. There are the things we all need such as food, clothing and shelter, which somehow or other must unconditionally be figured into the equation. Most of us have to make some compromise between these two ends. An individual's answer may vary toward either pragmatism or idealism, some need little to make them happy and others need a lot, but if you do not form an answer for yourself life tends to give you one at random, which may not turn out for the best. Therefore it pays to be rational.

So I suggest careful thought of each course of action ( there may be ones you have not yet thought of, and not changing at all is an option) in terms of likely outcome, not just in the short term but in twenty years or more. How is each course likely to affect your long-term happiness ? Take your time and think carefully and objectively.

Of course if you do not know what makes you happy, then that is a different problem altogether.

[athykay]

Gahhh!  Tough decisions, Tash.  Eons ago, and much to my parents' consternation, I followed my heart and did a music major.  In attempt to make it practical, I wrapped it up with music therapy. After graduating, I got a job in music therapy, and hated it!  After a year and a half, I quit my secure state job, went vagabonding in Europe for a couple years, came back to the states where I eventually had babies, went to law school and settled down in a manner of speaking (not necessarily all in that order).

The *one* thing I DO NOT regret, is getting my B. Mus.  I have something that may not necessarily be bread-winning (though I've had steady paid church organist jobs for decades, now), but that brings daily joy to my life.  AND ..  it has trickled down to my kids, and my husband, and it is truly priceless.

You are at a time in your life in which your main goal should be taking the utmost advantage of the educational environment that you choose. 

Follow your dreams, girl!  The outcome may not be what you expected it to be, but you will not regret it.

[Tash]

thanks all so far for your comments. one thing i will definately not do ever is business because i hate it with a passion! i'm so against any kind of job that involves sitting in some office building doing god knows what.
and that's partly why i chose to add the b.education with the b.music, because i don't think i'd mind teaching, i really don't know cos i've never properly experienced it. that's the thing i hate- haveing to decide when we have no idea what we're getting ourselves into!
and yes music makes me brilliantly happy, as does art, which makes it such a difficult tossup, and why i am currently doing the fine arts and arts so i could major in music as well as painting. so i know that if i do switch then i'll love it, because i love teaching people about music and stuff.
and like you said athakay, the outcome might not be what i expect, and i know i won't regret it. i just wanna see what happens and know that in the future i won't attempt starting my arty career  which turns into nothing and then go well what the hell do i do now.
hmmm, i'll continue to think about it, i've still got plenty of time. thanks for your comments, they'll help me decide

[galonia]

tash, I think you should just do what you love doing now, and worry about the future when you get there.

I did a pure maths degree, and anyone with half a brain will tell you there are no jobs for someone holding a pure maths degree.  Well, guess what, they were wrong.  Apart from doing Honours, then my phD and then being in academia, or doing DipEd and teaching snotty high school kids who hate maths periods (I was not interested in either of these options), there are heaps of opportunites - it's just that people aren't aware of them.  Plus you learn to create your own opportunities.

I now work as a statistician - and even elected voluntarily, with no one else suggesting anything, to go back to uni to do an MStats.

But once I finish my MStats, I might just go off and do something unrelated to maths and stats (I'm starting to get a bit sick of it) - I'm about to go tramping around the globe, and I intend to have nothing to do with maths/stats for at least 9 months.

I don't think your degree limits you to doing one thing or another; just do what you love, and good things will follow.

[classicarts]

I'd like to suggest you get yourself a degree that's workable.  what I mean by that is, get a degree that you can make a sufficient income after graduation.