Am I making the right decision?

For the last two years, I've only been considering teaching English as a foreign language as my future career. Now, I do still plan to teach English in Korea for a year or two, while I'm getting on my feet and everything... but, the more I think about it, the more I realize it's not something I WANT to see myself doing for the rest of my life. In fact, the thought of teaching forever kind of scares me. English is something I have a passion for, but teaching it...?

I've been thinking more and more about this recently. I'm about to be nineteen in a few weeks, and I'll be returning to school in January to get my associates degree. I have to figure what I'll be doing post-degree.

Before, I wasn't completely certain of what I could do. I don't really have many talents or hobbies, at least not ones that I could make a career out of. But, with the help of my mother and a few friends, I realized that writing is my passion. Writing has always been something that I've loved doing and could see myself doing for the rest of my life.

And film studies, that seems like something I would really love. I realized that all of the behind the scenes work that goes into productions are so enjoyable for me. When I took theatre and participated in Drama Club in my final year of High School, I immediately gravitated toward those aspects of directing and lighting and putting everything together for the final cut.

After coming to the realization that film studies is what I want to do, I started wondering how I could still use it to make my dream of traveling the world come true as well.

I'm still going to teach for a year or two in South Korea, figure out if that's where I want to be, or if I should explore elsewhere, and then after my contract ends, I can determine whether I will continue teaching for a bit longer or start focusing on finding a job in the field that I want.

I'm reapplying to my dream school. I got accepted into it last year, for the 2015-16 school year, but had to decline due to financial reasons. But, with two years worth of college out of the way by the time I'll be attending, the costs will be cut in half. If I get accepted, I'm going to major in Cinematic Arts (which more of a focus on directing and screenwriting, and a little bit of editing) and minor in either Chinese (because they don't have Korean language, and Chinese will help me with learning the deeper stuff within Korean) or linguistics and Global Studies.

I am incredibly excited with this decision, though I am still a bit nervous about it. Even though I know I'll be happy, am I making the correct decision with this, or should I still go for something more practical...?

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cily265 #1
Wow, we're really similar..I'm taking Mediatech in high school where I'm learning currently how to work a camera like with tripods and stuff. We just learned to edit with Avid too. I feel that if you want to go that direction than go for it, I mean you're the one that is living your life, you know what you're like. You still have time to figure it out, if it doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to since you're still young. I will support you!!
BangtanTrash_97 #2
Don't think too much about this, but then again, do consider your future. If you chose something you know you're not going to like, you're not going to be happy. Follow your passion and do what you what YOU want to do. From first hand experience, it's not a good feeling being forced into doing something you don't like because you feel miserable but if you end up doing something you are passionate about and are interested in, the hours don't go by so slowly and you end up having a good time while working. Experiment if you want, you don't need to make an immediate decision and who knows maybe you can what you like through experimenting. So yes, I think you're making the right choices. Don't second guess yourself. After all, it is your life and it is your future. Hwaiting!!!! ^^
CaptSunRiser #3
Short answer: Yes, you are making the right decision.
Long answer: I studied design in sixth-form college in the UK. I did it just because I love designing stuff. I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career, and to be honest, I didn't much care. I was 16, I had my whole life to think about a career. Now, I'm 30. I still love design, but I'm looking at starting my own business in it. That being said ... I am also a qualified teacher for adults. I also write for a living (not as an author, though, but I write a lot of applications to local government and trust funds to get funding for our community work). With that, I can not only design stuff (websites, mainly, but still something I adore), but I can teach customers how to use the web admin software. I can teach custom designed courses. I can be a copywriter for a company. Social media manager. Publication editor. Anything. The qualification you get, though, does not dictate the career you go into. Studying film production doesn't mean you are limited in film. What stops you from learning other areas of the marketing process and then working for a school as their marketing officer? Where you can be in charge of video production and the entire management of their marketing processes? Or do it as your own business, and train others in the processes? People look at media qualifications and think "They're useless" ... yet think how much digital media, websites, apps, TV, DVD, and all of these other areas have taken over the world. Yeah, media qualifications are "useless". If it's something you love, do it. Don't regret it. And, if in a few years you realise it isn't something you love, change your career, but take your skills along with you. There will be areas in this career that you can readily use in another.
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