Monday, November 28, 2011

Café vs. Medicine



So, what's my dream? Do I want to be a Doctor? Or do I want to own a little business, open a café and make fantastic coffee and sell pastries? I mean, I've thought I wanted to study medicine since I was seven. I've always been fascinated with science and how our body works. But am I willing to devote my life to being a doctor? At least if I had my own business I'd be able to eventually hire and trains staff to work for me. I'd be able to have a family, have reasonable working hours... I could live wherever I want! But medicine is such a big deal... I'd be saving lives, and at least I'd be making a good salary, have a good job. I wouldn't be able to start a family immediately, but eventually I could and I'd have enough money to easily support a family. Maybe I could do the baking and somehow take it oversees. Culinary school or something... traveling is my real passion anyway. I don't know, I"m just so unsure about where my life is taking me right now.
It started on Thanksgiving. I was making pies with my mom and telling her how I've always had three ideal outlines for my future, each that I liked equally. One was to be a doctor, the other was to open a small coffee shop somewhere, and the third was to own a Vineyard in Latin American and sell wine. After talking about the coffee shop some, she asked me, "Why don't you?". At first I was puzzled she'd even ask, medicine has always been what I thought I'd do with my life after all. It's been "the plan" since I was seven, for goodness' sake! But then I really started thinking... what if? What if I did go into business and take a culinary arts class and actually open a little coffee shop/bakery somewhere? So I thought about it, and researched it, and talked to mom about it for this past week... and the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I've never thought I'd stray from medicine, but who knows!? I could be very successful with the business, and that way (with the business degree) if the coffee shop isn't working, I could easily move and either start a different business or work in something else. I'm really kind of excited about this idea, who knows what'll happen in the end... but, maybe medicine isn't my calling? I don't know.



Pro's  Con's
I'm boss At beginning- Unstable
I can move around freely Not medicine
Personal independence No immediate job after university
Not working for gov.  Not as much income
Less school Equal, if not more, work
More fun Crazy hours
Less stressful Working/Interacting with people
Food/coffee Majoring in business/accounting = math
Partnering with Latin Am. Coffee plantations Submitted applications for pre-med
Franchising  
Baking  
Could start a family earlier  
Could travel  
More free time  

So as you can see, the Pro's outweigh the Con's. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea... or does it?

2 comments:

Mik said...

See, my problem would have started with the Majoring in business/accounting = math. But you might not have that same problem. If you think you can deal with all the blasted useless courses you have to take to get a business degree, then you should go for it. The nice thing about business is how wide a field of opportunity it offers you. You're right, even if it doesn't work out in some place, there's always starting up something else.

You've always been free-spirited and artsy. I feel like your headstrong stubbornness and your perseverance would be well suited to your own business.

Of course, that's me just looking at the business side of things. I'm sure I could come up with a list of qualities that would suit you as a doctor, but... Medicine feels like such a cold and clinical ambiance to be involved in (and that is purely my impression because you know I'm the kind of person who needs room for creativity).

For now, I'm just helping you see how going into business could be a really great decision too.

Blaze Alcabose said...

OR!!! You could move to California and open a skate shop. Then I would finally have a blasted place I could get what I want at.