--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After I left college I thought, very…" description: "\"After I left college I thought, very naively, that either you became someone interesting - an artist - or you went into academia. If you ended up in an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55e/joshua-ferris-4070_academia_after-i-left-college-i-thought-very-naiv_2063556.jpg" --- # After I left college I thought, very naively, that either… ![“After I left college I thought, very naively, that either you became someone interesting - an artist - or you went into academia. If you ended up in an office you were dull and lacking. And I ended up in an office.” quote by Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55e/joshua-ferris-4070_academia_after-i-left-college-i-thought-very-naiv_2063556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55e/joshua-ferris-4070_academia_after-i-left-college-i-thought-very-naiv_2063556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55e/joshua-ferris-4070_academia_after-i-left-college-i-thought-very-naiv_2063556.jpg) > “After I left college I thought, very naively, that either you became someone interesting - an artist - or you went into academia. If you ended up in an office you were dull and lacking. And I ended up in an office.” [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenges the myth that creative or academic paths are the only valuable careers, acknowledging office work as a valid path. **In simple terms:** Office jobs can be meaningful despite stereotypes. Key Takeaway Recognize value in all career choices. Themes career identity stereotypes Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - job satisfaction - career transitions - self‑esteem - social expectations Key Concepts creative fulfillment academic pressure Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'meaningful' career for you? - How do stereotypes shape your job choices? A Different Perspective May underplay the fulfillment some find in office roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academia/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) ## Related quotes > [When I left college I thought - based on a staggeringly inadequate understanding of how the world worked - that I might like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/when-i-left-college-i-thought-based-on-a-staggeringly-inadequate/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [We've never thought too deeply about the roles things like forgetting or partisanship or inefficiency or ambiguity or hypocrisy play in our political or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/we-ve-never-thought-too-deeply-about-the-roles-things-like-forgetting/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [All life lessons are not learned at college,'she thought. Life teaches them everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-life-lessons-are-not-learned-at-college-she-thought-life-teaches/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wanted to try something different. Most people my age go off to college; I thought I'd try out New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sky-ferreira/i-wanted-to-try-something-different-most-people-my-age-go-off-to/) [Sky Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sky-ferreira/) > [It wasn't until I was in college that I even realized how much I loved film and started to appreciate acting, this beautiful medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-in-college-that-i-even-realized-how-much-i/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [When I graduated from college, I thought that I would probably never be an actor because it seemed like everyone was big by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-that-i-would-probably-never/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I went to graduate school with zero expectation. I kind of backed into it. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-e-smith/) > [I think when I was in college I thought that, you know, like, sort of giving everyone an equal amount and spreading it around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-maccallum/i-think-when-i-was-in-college-i-thought-that-you-know-like-sort-of/) [Martha MacCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-maccallum/) > [Coming out of college I thought, I'm pretty good, I guess.' But once you're out there - it's a lot faster. The ball's being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/coming-out-of-college-i-thought-i-m-pretty-good-i-guess-but-once-you/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [When I was in high school and college, I thought everybody could think in pictures. And my first inkling to my thinking was even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/when-i-was-in-high-school-and-college-i-thought-everybody-could-think/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I wasn't raised to make history. In high school and family, no one around me was politically involved, and few of my friends planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-haaland/i-wasn-t-raised-to-make-history-in-high-school-and-family-no-one/) [Deb Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-haaland/) > [When I graduated from college I thought I was over with show business and was pursuing other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chlumsky/when-i-graduated-from-college-i-thought-i-was-over-with-show-business/) [Anna Chlumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chlumsky/) > [I had no idea what art was. There was one art class in high school, but it didn't make a big impression on me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claes-oldenburg/i-had-no-idea-what-art-was-there-was-one-art-class-in-high-school-but/) [Claes Oldenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claes-oldenburg/) ## More by Joshua Ferris > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [If someone were plucked from the group and given those responsibilities, they might find themselves growing more aloof, just by virtue of that promotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/if-someone-were-plucked-from-the-group-and-given-those/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“I was already at one remove before the Internet came along. I need another remove? Now I have to spend the time that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-was-already-at-one-remove-before-the-internet-came-along-i-need/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“One thing we knew for certain- despite all our certainties, it was very difficult to guess what one individual was thinking at any given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/one-thing-we-knew-for-certain-despite-all-our-certainties-it-was-very/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [To conform is to lose your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/to-conform-is-to-lose-your-soul/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“There was so much unpleasantness in the workaday world. The last thing you ever wanted to do at night was go home and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/there-was-so-much-unpleasantness-in-the-workaday-world-the-last-thing/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers that indicated some mission of business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected-several-ways-of-doing-so-we/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“For a long time thereafter I stared almost steadily at the bright and ostentatious VERIZON sign on top of one of the tallest buildings—the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/for-a-long-time-thereafter-i-stared-almost-steadily-at-the-bright-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“Of course I alienate myself from society. It's the only way I know of not being constantly reminded of all the ways I'm alienated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/of-course-i-alienate-myself-from-society-it-s-the-only-way-i-know-of/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“That was the last time she was allowed back at the Bennigan's. From then on, she started drinking at the T.G.I. Friday's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/that-was-the-last-time-she-was-allowed-back-at-the-bennigan-s-from/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [I've always thought things were absurd. It would take a lot more effort for me to see things as reasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-ve-always-thought-things-were-absurd-it-would-take-a-lot-more/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“...she had the conviction of the newly converted, which wouldn't last forever, but would for the moment brook no discouragement or allow for second-guessing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/she-had-the-conviction-of-the-newly-converted-which-wouldn-t-last/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day, offhandedly and without much thought, I used my first :) and, shortly thereafter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-until-one-day-offhandedly-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [I think one of the ways you avoid being angry is to avoid being angry at the people in power. They might do crappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-think-one-of-the-ways-you-avoid-being-angry-is-to-avoid-being-angry/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“Without monstrous distortions, I was slowly learning, without lies and hypocrisy, one cannot have the idealized American life I so longed for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/without-monstrous-distortions-i-was-slowly-learning-without-lies-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) [Explore all 114 Joshua Ferris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## More Academia quotes > [“Word spread quickly: The visitor wished to address the scholars. 'What can he want?' they wondered, streaming into the Royal Theater. 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It has education, academia, the service industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/one-of-the-things-that-s-great-about-new-york-is-that-it-is-not-a-one/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [ “See that the mind is honest, first; the rest may follow or not as God wills. \[That\] the fundamental treason to the mind ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/see-that-the-mind-is-honest-first-the-rest-may-follow-or-not-as-god/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The approach of intellect or noesis will forever be an effete and limited sort of thing by contrast with the vigor and color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/the-approach-of-intellect-or-noesis-will-forever-be-an-effete-and/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [One can hardly appreciate how academia has perverted its highest tasks and "ideals" without pondering long and hard the implications of Jacques Barzun's House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/one-can-hardly-appreciate-how-academia-has-perverted-its-highest/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Practically everybody (1) overweighs the stuff that can be numbered, because it yields to the statistical techniques they’re taught in academia, and (2) doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/practically-everybody-1-overweighs-the-stuff-that-can-be-numbered/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The number one problem in academia today is not ignorant students but ignorant professors, who have substituted narrow "expertise" and "theoretical sophistication" (a preposterous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-number-one-problem-in-academia-today-is-not-ignorant-students-but/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. 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