What occupation would you've chosen if science wasn't an option?

[Fearless]

Hello dear PF'ers.

I was thinking, what would I've done if not studying science and engineering to go into that field?

I probably would have been an electrician because that was my second choice for high school (we have more focused programs where I live, I ended up in the natural sciences program).

Maybe I would have been a bartender, something I do on the side and really enjoy. I love to tinker with drinks, maxing their potential from the available spirits and joking with the costumers. They often think I am the most drunk person in the establishment, but I always work sober, I just have a weird sense of humor.

So, if not science, what would you have done with your life?

 

[Cyrus]

Pilot, or Architect.

 

[redargon]

I would have:

- started or joined a rock band.

- focused on sport more and tried to build one up to professional level

- become a teacher.

 

[maze]

I probably would have worked construction. I did some construction work during high school, and it was enjoyable enough. There are real physical accomplishments - at the end of the day there is always something you created. Maybe you did a section of siding. Maybe you installed a cabinet. Maybe you did some framing. Whatever it is, it wasnt there before, and it is now because you built it.

I like figuring things out, I like building things, and I like helping people. I think I would have a hard time working in a service-type job, or paper-pushing. Thankfully I've been able to avoid them so far, with the exception of grading which I had to do during undergrad and hated immensely.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Software engineer.

 

[humanino]

There is no hesitation at all for me : music.

 

[neu]

porn star. That or a librarian

 

[marlon]

Pilot, or Architect.

 

[humanino]

Pilot, or Architect.

Strange, I thought you would have said "Architect, or Pilot".

What about composer for the King (or Queen) ? Too political for you ?

 

[BobG]

If I won the lottery, I'd probably become a teacher.

Science would still be a good subject, but the subject wouldn't be the most important part. I've also gotten the same satisfaction out of coaching soccer.

Oh, wait, actually teaching is a big part of my current job, just not the only part.


I used to work construction on a masonry crew building basements, firelplaces, and chimneys, plus an occasional commercial job. That was a decent lifestyle. I worked outdoors, usually in a nice location (we only built very expensive houses). I was in incredible shape. I was laid off in the winter, so I could plan my visit to relatives living somewhere warmer. The fact that I was laid off every winter meant I could plan for it, so it wasn't a huge hardship. In fact, I had so much work in the summer, it was nice to finally have some time to spend some of that money. It would have been a hard job once I got older, though.

 

[marlon]

What about composer for the King (or Queen) ? Too political for you ?

If that means i would earn lots of money, then, yes i would certainly do this job.

Actually, to answer the OP's question : i quit science to do something else. My next goal is to obtain a masters in economics (starting in october) and after a few years i want to obtain a MBA. Then i am going for the top positions in banking.

tchhaa tchhinnggg


ciao
marlon

 

[WarPhalange]

Astronaut, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, God Emperor of Earth, cab driver.

In that order.

 

[marlon]

Astronaut, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, God Emperor of Earth, cab driver.

In that order.

How does one become God Emperor of Earth ?
What do you do in this profession ?


marlon

 

[WarPhalange]

Becoming God Emperor isn't easy, as it involves become both God and Emperor. Anyway, I can't give out the details, but it has to do with becoming the leader of a hidden sand people, getting a monopoly on the most precious commodity on Earth, and basically kicking the *** of the current God Emperor*.

*as there is none right now, this part would be the easiest to accomplish.

 

[hypatia]

It would of been music for me. Or Queen of some small Island.

 

[lisab]

Art of some sort. And I'd be very poor.

 

[berkeman]

Coming out of high school, my top 3 choices were Engineer, Police Officer, Teacher.

By now, I would add one more -- Paramedic Firefighter.

 

[gravenewworld]

Economist
Financial Analyst
Stock Broker
Pharmacist

 

[russ_watters]

You're all wrong. If science wasn't an option, we'd all be peasant farmers.

 

[BobG]

Astronaut, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, God Emperor of Earth, cab driver.

In that order.

I can understand astronaut being number 1.

I can sort of understand putting Chief Justice of the USSC ahead of God Emperor of Earth. Chief Justice has better job security since your job as God Emperor of Earth could always be outsourced.

How come cab driver? It reminds me of that Harry Chapin song.

 

[humanino]

If science wasn't an option, we'd all be peasant farmers.

There would be many troubadours as well apparently

 

[turbo]

Musician. I could make more money per hour playing guitar and singing than I made in most of the jobs I have held. My sensitivity to fragrances, perfumes, etc, forced me to give up gigging, but it seemed pretty nice to get $100-150 for 3-4 hours of "work" that was really a lot more fun than work. If you have to hunt for gigs, that's bad. If you have to turn them down, that's good. I threw together a band at the last minute (actually a couple of day's notice) when the band scheduled to appear at a local hotel bar canceled. The owner had his best night all year, and he would have had to put on more wait-staff to keep up. He offered us all the open spots for the rest of the year, and a permanent gig as his house band starting with New Year's Eve. At the time, every one of us had commitments with other bands (blues, country, rock, etc) that we could not give up easily, so we had to regretfully decline.

None of us lived more than 30 minute's drive from that hotel, and it would have been really nice to have a steady all-weekend, every-weekend gig, plus a secure place to store our equipment and a handy central location to work out new material and rehearse. The owner would have gotten some nice incidental business (free) from our rehearsals, too. Some of our bands had been together for the better part of a decade, though and we just couldn't dump friends and become their competition.

 

[Monique]

If I'd horribly fail at what I'm doing now I'd probably try and become a freelance webdesigner/illustrator and start a small business with a food-related online store (maybe steal some of turbo-1's recipes )

 

[Cyrus]

Pilot, or Architect.

You really DO deserve to die, DANNY.

 

[turbo]

If I'd horribly fail at what I'm doing now I'd probably try and become a freelance webdesigner/illustrator and start a small business with a food-related online store (maybe steal some of turbo-1's recipes )

You wouldn't have to steal them Monique! I'd probably develop some new ones for you free. It's fun to play with your food!

I couldn't get into a business in which I'd have to deal with the public because of the fragrance/perfume issues or I would probably have already started a little lunch-special diner. Two or three specials a day with casseroles, stews, hash, sandwiches, chilies etc, and maybe sell some salsas and chili relishes on the side. I've had people tell me that they don't like hot stuff, and after tasting my hot (much hotter than commercially available) tomato-based salsas on a cheeseburger, they ask for the recipe. Lots of my nieces and nephews got hooked early, and they drop some pretty broad hints at cook-outs in hopes of taking home jars of the "good stuff".

 

[Monique]

You wouldn't have to steal them Monique! I'd probably develop some new ones for you free. It's fun to play with your food!

Of course I'd let you in on the profit

I've had people tell me that they don't like hot stuff, and after tasting my hot (much hotter than commercially available) tomato-based salsas on a cheeseburger, they ask for the recipe. Lots of my nieces and nephews got hooked early, and they drop some pretty broad hints at cook-outs in hopes of taking home jars of the "good stuff".

I think there is a market available for products like this, especially with the globalization that we are seeing today where foreign foods are becoming mainstream. I'd definitely stock up on your salsas and chillies if you ever decide to start a business that ships overseas

 

[Andre]

If science wasn't an option I would become a pilot. And so it happened.

Monique, careful with your taste buds. You're too young yet to have them destroyed by Turbo's capsicum bombs

 

[turbo]

If science wasn't an option I would become a pilot. And so it happened.

If science was not an option, it's unlikely that you'd have been flying jets. Kites, maybe.

Monique, careful with your taste buds. You're too young yet to have them destroyed by Turbo's capsicum bombs

Don't listen to him, Monique! My wife and I got our nieces and nephews hooked on heat as little kiddies, with sweet hot pepper jellies to eat with crackers, cheese, etc. They graduated to hot salsas on their cheeseburgers and hot dogs, pretty early on, and some of them are quite fond of my woo-hoo chili relishes (pretty much 100% chilis and garlic in simmered in vinegar, sugar, salt and molasses). It's fun to have an 8-year-old insist on having a "Skip-burger" (cheeseburger with hot green or red tomato salsa and hot brown mustard) instead of her mother's BBQ'd chicken at a cookout.

 

[Daniel Y.]

Art of some sort. And I'd be very poor.

Reminds me of a quote:

The graduate with a Science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The graduate with an Engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The graduate with an Accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The graduate with an Arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

 

[rootX]

Art of some sort. And I'd be very poor.

I always had some issues with arts teachers (languages/others in high school) and even now in the college, I end up disliking the way those arts professors think/teach/communicate. I think neither they liked me much.

I am glad that I don't have to take lots of those classes

I never thought of anything else other than science(only recently started to like economics but it's also a science - I don't have much freedom in my courses selection - most of it is picked .. so I took economics as a minor to have some variety).

I would go into economics/business if there weren't any science ...

 

[grant9076]

I would want to be a potter. Pottery is one of my favorite pastimes. But then again, throwing on the wheel involves some very basic understanding of physics. Also, oxidation and reduction firing involves some basic understanding of chemistry.

You're all wrong. If science wasn't an option, we'd all be peasant farmers.

This is a very valid point. However, I was a peasant living on a farm as a kid and I can say that farming also involves some science.

I'll take this statement one step further and say that without science, we would all be food.

 

[marlon]

You really DO deserve to die, DANNY.

You know somethin', DANNY ?

 

[Moonbear]

If not science (I guess I'd have to leave out all the alternative professions that also require science, like physician or high school science teacher?), then either a teacher of some other subject, or lawyer, or maybe I'd run for political office (probably just a local office).

 

[Howers]

Musician? Or maybe a computer programer.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

As I am not a scientist, I just put down my own occupation. But now I see the meaning is more like which occupation would you pick second. Since there are so many that would have gone into the arts, I'll say the same. I think I have talent as an artist:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25972909"

 

[Gear300]

porn star

...yup.