What if you major in something you don’t like just for the sake of a job, and still don’t make enough to move on to what you do like? What would be the plan then? I think it’s reasonable for your parents to want you to get a job and do well, but I don’t think it’s reasonable for them to make you choose a career now, especially since you’re just starting out in college and it’s something you’re not particularly thrilled about. College is a time to explore different options. You might end up liking nursing. But you should also have the freedom to not like it and choose something else. That’s why most people switch majors in college at least once or twice before committing to a major. And even then, some people switch again. If you really like video editing, you will definitely be able to build up a body of work in college through campus TV or other similar projects. Who’s to say with the growth of internet video and satellite TV that there won’t be work for you when you graduate? Yeah, your parents want what’s best for you, but it’s still your life and your decision.

Something like 90% of graduates, over the course of ten years after graduating, end up working in fields completely unrelated to their major. I think this mentions something about students and the major that they personally wanted to graduate with without giving any consideration about the real-world applications of it.

The problem is that while money may not buy happiness, money certainly does buy piece of mind. I’ll give you my own example. I love drawing, love art, and have always wanted a degree in art in order to work in comic books one day since I love the medium so much. But I knew that the field is already incredibly competitive as it is, with those who are even working make something like $25,000 and less a year. I knew that while I might be happy for a while doing what I loved, eventually the money situation would get so bad that I would begin hating it and have to switch careers, in essence defeating two honest purposes.

So what I did is I compromised. I love business, not as much as art, but definitely enough to want a career in it too, so for my majors (double major in Finance and Management) I opted to go with business so that I could obtain a good solid career (which I have done) because that way I’ll know I’ll have enough piece of mind to enjoy my job and make a decent living at it. All the while I made a silent promise to myself that as soon as I finished my second major (Management in about 3 months) I would reward myself with a third degree in the one that I initially wanted all along, Art. And the best apart about this is that in my current business career my employer will pay whatever tuition I decide to take on the side, meaning not only will I have my beloved art degree but it will be completely paid for me as well.

So my advice is to seriously consider the real-world applications of your current passion, including how much piece of mind it can provide for you, and if you see enough merit then by all means go for it. If not, consider a compromise similar to my own where you’ll choose a second option you would still like to do, make more money from that, then when things get settled you can easily do your first option again. I hope this helps.

Nursing is NOT a career to get into just for a paycheck. You have to truly enjoy helping people, and you have to have a high tolerance for being abused in the workplace. It’s a lot of responsibility, and anyone that isn’t passionate about it shouldn’t do it.

One should love one’s job.

There is a lot in image processing, video making and editing in health care. Procedures in the operating theatre, Nursing practice, first aid, etc., etc…

Why not combine both of your options, and have fun doing so?

Are your parents paying for your college? Even if they are, tell them not to waste there own money. Do what you want, dont waste your own time.