In an ideal world, I would be peteretta pan. Whilst growing up seems great in its added independence and freedom which I crave, there's also that little thing about jobs. This school year will be my last and then I'm out into the big world, but I have no clue what to do. I don't have a 'thing': if you put me with science students, I seem very artsy/humanitiesy, but put me amongst the arts and humanities, I'll seem very pragmatic and no-nonsense. I'm not a scientist and I don't want a career in science, so that narrows my options a little. I've been on degree webpages and job sites looking at careers and career areas and nothing interests me for more than a couple of weeks or even days. I go through a brief period of absolutely loving something then drop it cold and never look back. I don't want a career that pays megabucks, I just want to be able to wake up everyday knowing I'm doing something I love. How do you do that?! Why does nothing seem interesting anymore- even as a hobby?(unless you count daydreaming and escapism in books, TV and film as a hobby) Does anyone else feel like this?
The short answer to "What do you do when no career interests you?" might be, 'invent it'.
To which age range do you belong?
You're just more Renaissance, and given to it, than others might be. I think most people are interested in a wide variety of subjects (and are themselves untapped Renaissance people), but they somehow end up choosing or walking into more pragmatic paths, because they have to support themselves, they have dependents, desire a certain standard of living, and so forth. This life choice is also great, and some consider themselves blessed to have employment, but it's usually more pleasant if there's choice with intent involved. Those who live the 'daily grind' without complaint are some of the coolest people around; the fucking awesome ones do it with joy. Lots of people work at "meh" jobs they can tolerate, but make their time away from that job count, and for them that is a good deal.
What you do, or what I'd suggest you do would hinge on many factors: do you have a financial support system
you can lean on, do you have ideas, do you generate ideas, are you curious, can you adapt and combine your long and short-term visions, are you passionate? Experientially, I've seen passion and adaptability carry people to amazing places; it appears that you have to feel an unavoidable, Sisyphean dedication to yourself in order to be happy and content during the spells when things aren't always going well. There will be ups, downs, and seemingly-interminable plateaus, and you need a certain inner constitution and sense of humour about the world to see yourself through.
If you genuinely are in a place where you don't have to rush into finding financial stability/basic survival, then it could be worthwhile to start by narrowing your focus to what you actually enjoy - find the thing that makes time disappear and do it as much as possible. If nothing else, at least you're stoking your passion, which will draw more passion to you. If you simply need to make money, don't look for a career but a job that allows you to learn something new, work with good/interesting people, go somewhere you want to go; or find places you like and find a job there: bookstore, cafe, museum, art supply shop, art gallery, darkroom assistant, the playhouse/theatre, science centre, libraries, video rental stores if they still exist where you live, wherever. If you like where you are and the people who are there with you, you're going to have a good time.
I've also seen friends who worked as baristas or as sales associates at The Gap to support themselves, but also manage to find time for their true passions and turn that into a living, even on the side. The most common denominator, I find, is that if you're passionate, exploiting your passion and sharing it, being enthusiastic,
encouraging others to their passions, then you'll always be in demand. So you could be working here or there, but then meet a 'random' person, and they'll offer you an opportunity. Like at my coffee place there's an amazing barista and everyone loves him. He's got a wonderful way about him, great sense of humour, KIND, and I don't know how he does it but he never feels fake. And he's a little older, maybe late-30s, early-40s, maybe even 89 but his joie and passion just makes him glow. He's constantly getting offered other jobs by his customers, because they want him around. I'm sure he eats for free and gets free desserts from the bakery and walks on water and I'm exaggerating. Anyway, he's 'just' a barista, but people see him as more than that; he's an asset, and his Renaissance nature allows him to talk with anyone. He's also very humble, but confident. He makes coffee drinks for people but most of the people go there for him and his uplifting energy. If he left his job the cafe would see a dip in business, as it sort of does on the days he's not there; it's easier for me to snag a free table on his off days.
What was my point? (See? Awesome Barista made me lose my train of thought!) Oh right: there is a good side to not fitting in to boxes made at a cardboard factory that falls apart when wet. Don't let something so flimsy be a goal. If you're being inundated with 'career counselor' advice from everyone you know, listen, scan for something useful, but don't take any of it seriously unless your intuition tells you otherwise. The best thing you could be doing is that which elicits your passion and curiosity. The omggetintoacareerNOW pressure and rat-race cheering is an illusion.
Keep exploring for what makes you light up. I mean it, you can spot people with passion from afar; moths to a flame.