Alternative careers.

Yeah, if I'd'a'known about flipping properties when I was 18, I'd've flipped thousands by now.

 

I'm not sure I would change what I did. Honestly my plan (even if I wasn't serious at the time) was to write for a while then teach. I think I needed my time being an immature sports writer and a mediocre ME to learn some lessons. I'm teaching history and even though I took enough classes to get a minor in poli-sci and history (don't have the paper but had the credits) most of what I'm teaching kids I learned in journalism.

I'm curious what would have happened if I got accepted to a good school that offered pre-law. I'm also curious if I went to CU Boulder instead of SJSU what would have happened.

 

You may have ended up on the goalpost too ...

 

I exchanged emails with someone at an aquarium back in the nineties. They had an opening coming up for an educator. I ticked all the boxes except one: It required someone who was SCUBA certified and who would enjoy spending the better part of their workday in the tanks with the critters. I love animals, but no. Just. No. I thanked them for thinking of me and with their permission, sent the letter to a friend who got a double degree in museum ed and forestry and another friend who taught maritime conservation law and was in a state of burnout. The latter was actually a perfect fit. He had the certifications, gave presentations at the UN on endangered animals, and would rather be in the water than out. He passed on it because the money wasn't what he was making. I don't bring this up to either of them, but every now and then they talk about that job as if it was the pretty girl who got away.

 

I took a term of some education classes - including being a teacher's aide or whatever in a local high school's math class - while a sophomore in college. It opened my eyes that my high school experience, primarily in advanced/AP classes with generally motivated and mature students, was nowhere near the norm for high school. Quickly disabused me of the thought of teaching high school.

After getting my bachelor's and while at a pretty desirable job for which I was not mature enough at the time, I considered getting a masters and trying to teach at community colleges.

Not sure I'd trade my experience in sports media but do wonder how things might have been different if I'd gone another path.

 

I always think about the "cool" jobs like professional bass angler, fishing guide, pro golfer... whatever floats your individual boat.
If you relied on it for income, if you don't perform, you don't get paid, is it still fun? What do you do on your off days?
The top fraction of one percent who make those type of careers look really awesome are just that: the exceptions. For everyone else, I bet it isn't what it's cracked up to be.

 

It is virtually the only truly life-long interest that I've had -- and why it is my only regret, I'm sure.

 

Same on meteorology, less so on storm-chasing. I was a notorious weather nerd growing up, so much so that when one of the local weathermen gave a talk at my junior high, a couple of my teachers conspired to get me in even though the class was two grades above me. I might have even had the mathematical chops for it, too. I never wanted to be on TV, though, just to watch the skies and help keep people safe.

Now, like others here, teaching seems like the way to go once I'm done for good with journalism. Ideally I'd teach something like history, political science, or international politics at a juco/community college level, but unless I want to fully embrace the permalancer lifestyle, it'd probably have to be high school.

 

Interesting how this thread reflects two thoughts:

1) what's a cool job

and

2) what I'd go back and change

Given the era in which I was raised, I think being an X-15 test pilot or an astronaut or a secret agent or a cowboy would be cool. Concert pianist. Painter. Movie star. Race car driver. Prizefighter.

But I wouldn't change a thing.

 

Almost went to Bible college instead of Broadcasting school. Turned down a chance to go with missionaries to Liberia to help with driving a truck and eventually learn to fly a plane. Probably would have done more grunt work than preaching.
Always a "what if?..." but never a "I missed my calling" situation IMO.
My minor was history and I did sub at the local high schools that I used to cover at my previous gig (would work 7-3 and then go to the paper after to work 4-M) during the week. Never subbed on Fridays. I think I would have been a fun HS social studies teacher that ran the in-house TV or radio station.

 

One thing I would change is not move to an area for a job. I would move to an area and then look for a job. I wish I would have been closer to a beach than I was.

 

At an old stop one of the ASEs was a permanent sub. He'd work 7-2 or whatever in school, then work every day (he never took a day off) at the paper. Great reporter, always was moving, atrocious writer, probably cared more about his day job than the night one.