Anti-Social Work Degree

For years, my mother has had no idea what I got my college degree in. She keeps thinking I got a degree in Social Work. In reality, I majored in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. What one does with such a degree beats the crap out of me. I have no idea. Other than framing it and hanging it on a wall, which I have not done, I truly have clue what to do with a Sociology degree.  My reasoning for this major? It was the fastest way to graduate. Originally, I wanted to be a teacher. But dealing with other people's kids all day everyday was not my cup of tea. Hell, there are days I don't want to deal with my own kids. Moreso, I found a professor in the Sociology department whom I adored. Professor Stern, may he rest in peace, was my favorite professor/teacher of all time. When I realized I could take all of his courses and graduate, I jumped on that bandwagon.  If I could've gotten a degree in anti-social work, that would've been the ultimate. I am not a people person. I'm not a fan of people. People are just not my thing.

I am not sure how my mom could think I would get a degree in Social Work. That would require me "feeling" for people and wanting to help with their problems. Trust me, I have enough of my own problems. To take on other people's problems would open a whole other can of worms.  Not that I don't like hearing stories of others lives...but moreso in a gossipy way. If I really had to come up with solutions or plans to try and make things better, I'm not sure how well it would work.

I am not a hermit who sits in my house with the blinds drawn shut. I love to people watch.  I love to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. But, that is where it ends. I like to just sit and mind my own business and just listen. I am not outgoing. I went away my first year of college with no friends. I don't know what I was thinking by going off somewhere I really knew no one. It wasn't part of my personality to do something like that. I wasn't the kind of person who would just put myself out there and introduce myself to everyone in my dorm. I was miserable and depressed for the first three months. I watched a TON of television. Wings reruns on USA became my go to show. But, at 18, it's hard to know who you are. I think people spend a lot of their lives trying to figure out who they are. And I certainly didn't know who I was. Today, at 35, I have a better idea, but I am always evolving.

What I do know is this: I am not a people person and I probably never will be. I didn't enjoy school....except for the classes I took with Dr. Stern. The man had the cleanest hands I have ever seen on a man and every year, he'd order his new "dungarees" from L.L. Bean.   The majority of his Sociology classes revolved around the Syndicate. I loved getting to study the mob everyday. The hardest class I took with him was International Drug Trade.  Monday nights, for 3 hours, I would sit and try to follow all the families involved and how they transported everything....it really was rather difficult. He definitely had nothing to do with Social Work.....his answer to people's problems were to sit around and smoke pot while his kids were asleep in the next room.

I would love to take classes for fun. To listen and learn would be great. But I don't want to write any papers and I don't want to take any tests. But, going back to school would require me to be around people, and well, let's face it. It's just not my thing. People start asking questions and wanting to know why you are there and what do you hope to get out of it and where are you from and blah blah. No thanks.