I hate this conversation:
Well-meaning adult: "When do you graduate?"
Me: "I hope to graduate with my master's degree in history next May."
Well-meaning adult: "That's great! ...(silence) ... Are you going to teach?"
Me: "No. I have a job editing and I really enjoy that." OR "No. I was doing that but I decided I don't like adolescents." OR "No. I'd like to get a PhD and work at a university." OR "No. I really like research."
Well-meaning adult: "Oh, how nice."
My degree is in history. I know about five unemployed history teaching majors. You can do other things with a history degree besides teach.
I can't help but feel like some of the issue is that I'm a woman and teaching is an acceptable field for those of my sex. Also--the humanities get no respect.
But mostly, I wish that people wouldn't ask me if I was going to teach. You don't ask that question of biology, math, or physics majors. It seems to be a plague for the humanities.
It's probably cuz people think that history is useless as a degree and (because there are so many amateur historians who do a poor job) they think that anyone can do it.
That conversation is almost as bad as (and always precedes) this one:
Well-meaning adult: "How is married life!?!"
Me: "Fine."
Me in my mind: "Good. I love having sex with my husband. Do you like doing that with your husband?"
Well-meaning adult: "How long have you been married?"
Me: "Two years. It is a good time."
Me in my mind: "How long have you been married? Thirty years?"
Well-meaning adult: "You know, I'm sure your mom would love to have some grandchildren."
Me: "Yes, I'm sure she would."
Me in my mind: "I am not pregnant."
Well-meaning adult: "Is that in the near future?"
Me: "No."
Me in my mind: "Why are all of your questions about my sex life?"
I need to keep these things in mind and NOT ask them when I am a well-meaning adult. Or maybe I'll just stay cynical and grumpy and not talk to young people who visit their parents.
Santa
8 years ago
11 comments:
Oh Sarah! I know these converstaions all too well. I AM getting my major in Elementary Education, so I do intend to teach. However, I can't tell you how happy I'll be when I graduate. (Next spring...eeek!)
It seems to me that all of the school questions are so ingenuine. They always end the same. "That's great" "School can be so hard, but it'll be worth it" "You're going to look back on these days and wish you could come back". Uhhh, no. I really won't look back on these days and want to come back...TRUST me. College life has not been a happy experience for me and my husband.
As for the "When are you going to have kids?" questions: Interestingly enough, those have seemed to quiet down a bit. (from most people). Maybe becuase we've been married for 3+ years and people are finally getting the hint that "Seriously, we're not having kids until we're BOTH done with school".
This comment is long and I've ranted enough. Just know that I'm on your side. Congratulations on going for your Masters in History. That is very exciting for you!
I hate those conversations as well. I too am actually planning on being a teacher so my conversations go more like this:
me: "Yeah I'm going to school for Early Childhood ed."
them: "Don't you already have degrees? well do you have jobs in those fields"
me "nope"
and the other conversation I get a lot! Especially since everyone knows that we've been trying so I just flat out get asked if I'm pregnant. or the worst (in my opinion) "just stop trying then the lord will bless you with babies"
in my mind "I could give you some advice as well, like where to go!"
poor, Sarah...
Oh, oh. I hope I am not in that category. I envy you and Andrew and say go for it. Do what you enjoy!!! Love you guys.
Sarah, you are awesome. Never change. Unless you decide to become more awesome. That would be totally cool with me.
Will you be visiting your parents over Thanksgiving weekend? Because I'll be in Utah and we should hang out and catch up and discuss why the humanities matter.
-Kayleigh
Ditto with Melanie.
Sarah, can I just say how much I love you and your posts??
I am a well meaning adult. :)
I always hated those "Are you going to teach" questions too! There are so many things you can do with English, History and other humanities degrees--writing, anyone? Research, public relations, editing, etc.? If I had planned on teaching, wouldn't I have been an English Education major?
I imagine that most people A) don't know what professions exist for people with humanities degrees and/or B) just don't know how to respond to your answer. In which case, they shouldn't have asked in the first place.
In my experience, it gets better when you graduate and you can say what you do ("I'm a technical writer and freelance editor") instead of what you're studying.
Dear Sarah. I promise to not ask you any questions about your sex life. I think maybe you should ask those lovely well meaning people of few of their own questions. It's only fair :)
I hear you about the humanities. I was an English major who didn't plan to teach, which left people being all "then what are you possible going to do?!"
and this world would be a joke without the humanities. people just don't realize it!
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