There’s No Such Thing As A Useless Degree

I graduated five years ago. I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in History and Environmental Studies. Useless, right? The pressure to pursue something in business was there, but my family soon accepted the fact that I would study what I want. I made my choice and stuck with it.

What’s strange was as an 18-year-old, I didn’t really know what I wanted to study. When I entered university, I could have chosen between five subjects: history, environmental studies, photography, journalism, or English. As cliché as it sounds, the possibilities are endless.

And I did. I studied on the US Civil War and on Latin American authoritarian regimes from the 1970s. I wanted to study more on European cultures and British history, which I plan to do in my spare time.

If you have more than one interest, I suggest pursuing them. I never heard of the term polymath, until I listened to a TED talk by Emilie Wapnick.
Wapnick states, “But what if you’re someone who isn’t wired this way? What if there are a lot of different subjects that you’re curious about, and many different things you want to do? Well, there is no room for someone like you in this framework. And so you might feel alone. You might feel like you don’t have a purpose. And you might feel like there’s something wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with you. What you are is a multipotentialite.”
To be multi-talented suggests you are always learning, always broadening your horizon. Just know that nothing is useless. There is always some skill to gain or some knowledge to attain, some new question to ask or some new language to learn.

But no degree should be devalued. No degree should be useless. No degree is useless. It’s just a matter of perspective.

I too have worked a few years in customer service. I’m now grateful to be working in a corporate office. Only recently did I decide to pursue a degree in Paralegal Studies from a local community college. It took much thought and consideration to pursue such a degree, because I knew I wanted to use the skills I gained with my Bachelor’s degrees in a productive way.

I tried to become a teacher through Teach for America, I gained a TESOL certificate to teach English abroad, and so much more.

I wanted to make a difference. And pursuing a law degree was not the right path for me, so I decided becoming a paralegal was the next best option for me. I began the program last fall, taking classes part time with the goal to complete it by spring 2018. I am well on my way to achieving that goal, always striving to be the best I can be.

Never give up on your dreams.