Identity Crisis? Not really. XD

[StrawberrySmiles]

I feel like I'm having some identity crises, I swear.


Like the idea of seeing MY writing and MY name on/in a book is exciting. It seems so awesome.


Then, a lot of the times I just have this urge to make my stories into video games. Like making the graphics, drawing the characters, etc.


The sad thing, that though I love reading and gaming, I tend to play games more.


Both are very hobby-pacific and both have the potential to either do well or terrible based on the audience. It's all just creative hobbies. Writing isn't supposed to be my career goal. It's supposed to be something I do on the side. Like game-making.


In truth, I need to really think about my future and what solid career I should aim for one day. Secretary? Graphic Design?


Things get confusing sometimes. Don't they? XD

 

[Frostyfirefly]

The good thing is that you have things to think about and things to be excited or nervous about; some people lack that energy.

In my opinion, go for whatever you feel is exciting and stick to it, if you are passionate enough, any path can lead you to a decent future, if not a great future 

 

[Scinaya]

It is in the air. Yesterday after long long while I chatted with 5 of my childhood friends - with whom I have magically stayed friends with - and they were all going through age crisis, as well. Three of them were graduating and applying for a further study place, one was dreaming of getting a kid and I am feeling lagging behind as I was always the book worm know-all and I am taking longer in my studies than they are. So at least you are not alone there. XD

Are you studying something and is it what you'd like to make career out of? I am myself in biotech/bioinformatics studies and am also dreaming of writing on the side, maybe someday doing a bit of graphics on the side too. Or are you good in some special things that could guide you towards a certain career? Maybe consulting also career psychologist (or whatever the real word is in English ^^ could help you something that suits you and allows you to focus on the side to your hobbies too!

 

[mlogan]

I hate to tell you, but I'm not certain that that feeling ever goes away. Or, at least, I have some years on you and still struggle with it. I think it is a part of the human condition that we are curious and always eager to learn and grow and experience new things. So while something might seem new and exciting and "that thing I must do" at first, when the newness wears off we start to question it. And then, that's where maturity comes in. Are you just going to throw it away for something new or you going to stick with it through the less exciting parts?

I think it's also important to have some practical skill set to fall back on. My degree is in education and I have experience teaching. Would I love to be able to make a career out of game making? Absolutely. But if not, I have my teaching skills to fall back on, if I should ever need to do so. Is teaching as exciting as game making? Not usually. But it's practical and a always a need and something I can do for a living if I have to.

 

[StrawberrySmiles]

I don't plan on throwing away my writing or game-making, but I shouldn't rely on them as future stable careers.

Though, I probably have no other skills anyway.

@Scinaya: When I visited my hometown and me and my childhood friends all chatted, they were talking about their jobs and that careers. "I'm a Registered Nurse, and I'm going to school to to do this" or "I'm a teacher's assistant and the kids are amazing" or "I'm a travel trainer for the city buses"!

I'm like... Behind? I have no job, no career, and I'm not going to school. They know l write and make games, but they've never seen anything come from it.

Last night, while thinking of TWO novels I'd like to try and write, I also think of some simple game I could make for fun. They both entice me. D:

 

[Matseb2611]

From my own experience, if you go after the career choices you're not passionate about, you won't get far in them. This is why I've been recently reconsidering my career choices completely and decided that I want to go the route of game-making and pixel art. Why? Because I love those things and I know I can spend an entire day doing just those things. If you love something that much, there's no reason not to chase that dream. Sure, you might wish to keep another job for the time being, but keep building your skills in what you love. Challenge yourself and attain new heights. And once you're certain your hobby can become a full-time career, then you'll no longer need the career that you had to take up due to pressure from parents, money, or society.

Identity crisis happens to all of us at some point. I can tell you I've been there for far too long. The way to come out of it is to go after what you really want. Don't leave your dreams behind. Things that seem unattainable might not be so out of reach as we might sometimes think. If you love writing, put your energy into finishing that novel and release it. If you love game-making, keep working on that game and get it to see the light of day.

 

[Frostyfirefly]

When I visited my hometown and me and my childhood friends all chatted, they were talking about their jobs and that careers. "I'm a Registered Nurse, and I'm going to school to to do this" or "I'm a teacher's assistant and the kids are amazing" or "I'm a travel trainer for the city buses"!

I'm like... Behind? I have no job, no career, and I'm not going to school. They know l write and make games, but they've never seen anything come from it.

Well, it seems to me your friends are doing ok, but better yet, it looks like they aren't judging you or comparing themselves to you. I may be wrong, but it seems as if you feel less because they are doing all those things and you are not. Don't be too hard on yourself, everyone has their own pace. Some people begin having "a stable life" very early on and end up in quite precarious situations later on. Some others are late bloomers, some are even very late bloomers, and they do ok in the end.

Don't compare yourselves to others, you are not behind anyone, you are very young, 26 years is nothing! It sounds incredibly cliched and cheesy, but you have your whole life ahead of you. And what if they haven't seen anything come from your writing and games, if they are true friends, they aren't pressuring you, so, don't put pressure on yourself, just keep going forward at your pace  BD

 

[Scinaya]

I don't plan on throwing away my writing or game-making, but I shouldn't rely on them as future stable careers.

Though, I probably have no other skills anyway.

@Scinaya: When I visited my hometown and me and my childhood friends all chatted, they were talking about their jobs and that careers. "I'm a Registered Nurse, and I'm going to school to to do this" or "I'm a teacher's assistant and the kids are amazing" or "I'm a travel trainer for the city buses"!

I'm like... Behind? I have no job, no career, and I'm not going to school. They know l write and make games, but they've never seen anything come from it.

Last night, while thinking of TWO novels I'd like to try and write, I also think of some simple game I could make for fun. They both entice me. D:

;w; Yeah, it is quite relative in the end. I also study with many students, who have switched branches, so I keep comparing myself to people who had previous studies behind them and families and stable jobs... And I know it might not seem bad, but at the same time I have doubts about almost all of that every day, even though I know it is practical route and sometimes feel a tinge of love for the branch I study... I hope I did not make you feel more anxious by comparison. My point is though that how you feel will depend a lot of what you have around you and what you end up comparing yourself to.

I still recommend career counseling, if you have chance for that and I encourage also putting time on the side to writing. Taking your time to choose and to find out what you really want is good and it might help out finding what makes you happy and ease the need to compare to others and feel that uncomfiness about the difference.