abaya

Agreed. Do NOT go into teaching just for the vacations. Even though it's a wonderful profession, it takes a pretty special person to be able to handle those 60+ hour weeks. You may very well be one of them; you won't know until you try. That's what I did, anyway... but I couldn't really handle it. And I'm glad I found that out, at least.

I was in your place about 5 years ago. I majored in English and Education (+ History minor, to teach), did my student teaching, even taught a couple years... but I did not love it as much as I had hoped. And I *worshiped* my teachers when I was growing up... I just didn't realize that even though I liked teachers, didn't mean that I would be a good one. I mean, I liked teaching alright, but I wouldn't call it my passion. I was not 100% committed... so I changed jobs, became a graduate student in anthropology with the desire to be a professor.

And now, 3 years into that, I know that I don't want to be a professor anymore. I wouldn't mind working for an immigration research company or something, but sometimes I really just think I want a 9-5 job that is semi-challenging but doesn't eat up the rest of my life. Maybe I *don't* want to be passionate about something anymore heh. (I used to be like you, totally dreamy about so many things...)

I think most people end up doing something they aren't passionate about, but that they can be committed to, earn a paycheck from, and go home and relax afterwards. "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." -Thoreau, I think. But that doesn't usually happen until one's mid-30s-40s, once we get off this idealistic high of our 20s. I am halfway there, I tell you.

Advice? PICK SOMETHING, and do it for a while. See if you like it. It doesn't even matter what it is, really... just get whatever job you can find after college, and see how it goes. I guarantee you that you'll learn more about yourself, your preferences, your dreams, by work experience than you ever have in a classroom. Say to yourself, "This isn't permanent, I can change jobs anytime." And do that, after a while. Try something else based on what you learned at your first job. Etc. etc. Eventually, you figure out what you want to do.

(Again, I am only halfway there.)

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran