What are you going to be when you grow up? (Or, job help)

[Eo]

I just returned to Long Island from Conneticut, after visiting my great-uncle and a few second cousins (one of which is eerily like me at that age; I am afraid.) Said great-uncle asked me generally about myself, I couldn't think of too much, surprisingly, and I'm pretty self-absorbed.

So he asked the almighty annoying question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I've responded to this in various manners; when I was three, "An allosaurus", when I was five, "A princess", when I was... however old I was in third grade, maybe ten, "An author". Well, I've been thinking the same thing (and it's not any of those three) for a while now, sometimes just in the background:

I want to be an actress.

But how does one go about becoming that? I'm not really good-looking, but I know of a few people who have become famous actresses without being sexy or trying to look that way (Angela Lansbury comes to mind >.>) I've taken acting class for a year, but the teacher moved to Laguna Bay, so I can't have it this year.

Every young actor/actress I know of has had really pushy parents with good contacts and a ton of money. I have... a non-pushy parent who is probably not going to be so supportive, and we're not exactly rich.

So... how does one go about becoming an actress? I'm thinking stage productions; the way they hire actresses for movies these days tends to be very shallow. Things like Sweeney Todd, Oliver!, and the Holy Grail. That is to say, not Spamalot, but Phantom.

Oh, and this thread is also intended for other people to ask how one goes about getting other professions. I may know things about some jobs... >.> Zoo stuff, mostly.

[Asthaloth]

free-lance Paeleontologist.
there is somthing about completly seperating myself from mankind that appeals to me.

that, or a tyrant.

[Ken]

Doctor.

I am starting medical school next year.

Some people think that since both of my parents are doctors, they pressured me into it, but I really really do want to become a doctor.

[Bangel]

If you throw a fit in a mall, it might help out your career. It worked for Beverly Mitchell. =P

Seriously, though- dear, you're still young. I've never been there myself, but apparently being a child actress sucks. You're burned out and no one knows your name anymore when you're 20. And once you step into something, you sign a contract and you cannot get out, even if you decide that's not what you want to be anymore. You're still just a kid- I think you should enjoy your childhood for now. And when you're an adult and if you still want to be an actress (which is not definite; you seem to change your mind alot), then you can start there. But my advice to you now is just to have a good, normal childhood- there's plenty of time to choose a good career you like later in life.

[Sock]

I act. Right now, with my acting teacher's help/encouragement, I'm preparing to look into getting an agent...of course, it kind of helps that I live in Hollywood...

[_jaye_]

We'll be hearing good news from you, Sock. Don't forget us when you become famous

I'm not sure, but there's definitely two that I really, really want to be. Not both at the same time, but whichever: Financial Advisor or Agent (the propery ones). The reason that I want these jobs are for the money and with the money I can repay my parents for long years of education. And of course, own a house with all my lovely instruments .

Another I want to be is an author/writer. I want to have a book published. Though I don't see chances of that being great now - I don't have much creativity, sadly.

[Asthaloth]

my creativity extends to fighting a massive war with scales of genocide unparalelled by anything since the big bang.
my books on the back-burner.

[shapu]

I'll let sock handle the acting questions (I've had to put my own stage work dreams on hold while working days and schooling nights), but as for what I want to be?

Rich and devilishly handsome.

[Zei]

What do I want to be when I grow up? One of those people who shoot chickens out of a cannon at airplane windows to test the strength. Really, ever since I've heard Jeff Foxworthy talk about it, it sounds just so interesting.

Yeah. I'm dead serious. It really does sound fun. Sue me.

[Xil]

My acting lies somewhere between Jitters, and A lack of Faith. Neither were very long though(only 40 minutes), and the latter was mostly improve.

---

As for my current asparations? They've not changed for ages, I've wanted to teach English and the Liberal Arts for as long as I can remember.

And I couldn't even read til the seventh grade, haha.

[cat1205123]

Well, I'm only 14, so I'm not really sure what my future holds, but I'd like to do something with computers. Maybe some sort of tech support. (Not sitting on a phone all day for Microsoft trying to help some idiot turn on his computer, but like a System Admin or something.)

[Yoshi]

My courses currently are aligned almost perfectly towards infotech or a computer science related field for the future. So yeah, I guess I kinda want to become a computer expert of some sort, but I also kinda want to become an architect or designer. I haven't taken a single art class in high school though, so I'm not sure about the latter, but I think the former is quite viable.

So yeah...architect seems the way to go, it's kinda like the middle point in some sort of obscure, "I don't know how to explain it" sort of way.

[Eskimo]

Well, I decided to either become a marine biologist or a zoologist. But I REALLY want to be a pediatric nurse or neosurgen (I can't spell it)

[Kitten Medli]

I agree, Dawn. Wait until you get older and have to start picking proper courses, then you can get more conserned about it. You have more years ahead to be sure that's what you want, too. :] As Dawn said, of course.

[Shifty]

Oh I act. I play myself in my day to day life.
Seriously, I always wanted to be an actress, but i'll admit, i'm probably not cut out for it.

I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.