[Deut]

Hello,

I suffer because I am only average. Anything I try to do ends up being just OK. I do not expect to be outstanding, but at least I wish to gain some mastery --say in school.
More specifically, if i study a subject, I wish to be able to handle it, and know what I am talking about. Instead, I am often crippled by self doubts. These doubts spiral into affecting my self-esteem.
I met with a counselor whose job was help me identify what to do with my studies, and help me evaluate whether or not I had enough I.Q. to complete my degree in mathematics (which I love dearly, and still study even if not through formal education). Instead, following the advises of this counselor I quit school, and in addition of being without the degree I hoped to have, I have a degree in a field I do not care about, I am unemployed! The degree I have in Economics does not provide me with any occupation --this is since may 2012.
I'd love to hear your thought about my situation.

[Travelinglady]

I don't see Economics as an easy subject! However, I can see where it would be tough to get a job in it. Are you sure you couldn't take math at least at the level to teach it at a school?

What other subjects do you like? What hobbies do you have?

[Maven]

I think you should follow your heart. Do what you love. Study it and live your life with it.

[Deut]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

I don't see Economics as an easy subject! However, I can see where it would be tough to get a job in it. Are you sure you couldn't take math at least at the level to teach it at a school?

What other subjects do you like? What hobbies do you have?

I like anything that has some quantitative aspects. I completed coursework in accounting, and in finance up to the intermediate level. I have taken several mathematical dense classes in Economics, and I did perform very well in it.
However, I am now out of school because that seemed to be the reason why i was feeling bad about being average, and I will not return to school due to the high cost education has. I wish I would find a job, but it seems unlikely that I will be able to do so any time soon. It has almost been a year, and I only had a temporary position.

[Deut]

Originally Posted by Maven

I think you should follow your heart. Do what you love. Study it and live your life with it.

Hello Maven, Thank you for your encouragement.
I do try to study and learn on my terms, so to speak, but I need to be able to contribute paying my living expenses. Until I was in school I had very limited cash, but at least I could provide some buffering to the cost of my sustenance. Now, out of school, I am left with no income. I am unemployed! This makes me feel as a failure, even more so than being average! The last thing I want is ending up on a street begging for coins...

[big zero]

Originally Posted by Deut

Hello Maven, Thank you for your encouragement.
I do try to study and learn on my terms, so to speak, but I need to be able to contribute paying my living expenses. Until I was in school I had very limited cash, but at least I could provide some buffering to the cost of my sustenance. Now, out of school, I am left with no income. I am unemployed! This makes me feel as a failure, even more so than being average! The last thing I want is ending up on a street begging for coins...

I feel your pain! Same situation here: my passion has nothing to do with the degrees I'm getting, but I only stay in school because the parents would stop paying for my things otherwise and I don't make enough money working to live on my own. Which is sad, because I'm 25 and the female version of a career bum.

One thing I discovered throughout the years of dropping out of various schools was that I'm sub-par at best at most of the things I start, but if I'm really passionate about something I will improve. Take writing, for example. I love to write. I go back and re-read my old stuff regularly and climb what I like to call "the pyramid of suck"; my stuff from 1 year ago sucks less than my stuff from 3 years ago, which sucks less than the stuff before it, etc.

I see mathematics is your passion and you haven't given up studying it yet. I find that truly inspiring. You say you did very well in the classes you took; that's great! My advice would be, don't give up on your passion, even if you can't afford any formal education right now. It's never too late to start, and I say this knowing people who found their path a lot later than me in life. Take it one step at a time. Basic needs first. And don't despair; there's plenty of time to get to where you want to be

By the way... I'm sure the counselor you spoke to had some sort of formal training and whatnot, but to me it seems really irresponsible that she'd give you such advice. Wasn't the purpose of a counselor to help you discover what you want, or am I too old to remember?

[possum220]

It really has to be said..... You are not average. Average people do not get degrees in Economics. You are having a lull in life. Take any kind of job, get yourself back into school and work towards something you do want. You obviously have the capacity to absorb and comprehend what you are taught.
Get a tutor down the track if you need.

[-jimi-]

No real connection between IQ and math. I mean obviously you have to be good at math to be good at math and at least normally it takes a bit of an IQ. I have met people with a lot lower IQ than me doing math I can't understand at all. Math is so not my thing.

If you feel you have a chance, why not? We regret things we didn't do more than things we did.

[Deut]

Hello,

Sorry for the tremendous delay in answering you. Thank you all for the kind words!
I am trying to overcome that issue, and struggle tremendously with unemployment. Since graduation I have not been able to find a long term job. 2 temporary jobs so far.
This is not really my time.
Thank you again!

Most people are just average. That's pretty much what average is.

[manwithnofriends]

I know what average won't get you through: A talent show audition. If you're good according to the judges, you go through. If you're bad enough to make good tv, you're also through. So average is just a substitute for "going to make the live finals boring"

[Skywoulf]

my 2 bits.....

you love mathematics, you have intermediate skills in accounting, and a degree in economics.

with this combination, you can try to advertise yourself as a consultant in accounting/economics to large corperations even if at the entry level. another thing you can try is the local accounting firms, tax season is coming up soon and many will need the extra help.