--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was at college there were two…" description: "\"When I was at college there were two things I vowed I'd never do. One was go to a funeral and the other was deal with computers. And then I ended up be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-cornwell-6812_college_when-i-was-at-college-there-were-two-thi_43294.jpg" --- # When I was at college there were two things I vowed I'd… ![“When I was at college there were two things I vowed I'd never do. One was go to a funeral and the other was deal with computers. And then I ended up being a computer programmer in a morgue.” quote by Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-cornwell-6812_college_when-i-was-at-college-there-were-two-thi_43294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-cornwell-6812_college_when-i-was-at-college-there-were-two-thi_43294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-cornwell-6812_college_when-i-was-at-college-there-were-two-thi_43294.jpg) > “When I was at college there were two things I vowed I'd never do. One was go to a funeral and the other was deal with computers. And then I ended up being a computer programmer in a morgue.” [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker humorously reveals a life irony: a promised avoidance of computers leads to a career as a programmer in a place associated with death, highlighting unexpected career paths. **In simple terms:** Life’s plans often twist unexpectedly. Key Takeaway Expect the unexpected in career choices. Themes irony career paradox humor life twists unexpected outcomes Mood wry reflective Type anecdote humorous quote When to use this quote - college student making vows - career decision after graduation - working in a morgue - programming for non-traditional industries Key Concepts career choice technology mortality Practical Applications - career counseling - motivational speaking Questions to Reflect On - How do personal vows shape career trajectories? - What does this say about adaptability? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-things-644668/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computer Programmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer-programmer-644670/) [Computer programmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer-programmers/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral/) [Morgue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morgue/) [Morgues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morgues/) [Programmer Morgue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmer-morgue-644667/) [Programmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmers/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-things/) [Vowed Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vowed-funeral-644669/) ## Related quotes > [When you're in morgue you're seeing life that no longer exists. It gives you an appreciation when you look someone in the eye, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-you-re-in-morgue-you-re-seeing-life-that-no-longer-exists-it/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [...The next time I opened my eyes, I was in the morgue. This, all by itself, is enough to really ruin your day. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-next-time-i-opened-my-eyes-i-was-in-the-morgue-this-all-by-itself-2/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Then I went to the morgue and saw that those bones weren't yours, heard your voice again in my head" -his eyes closed- "and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/then-i-went-to-the-morgue-and-saw-that-those-bones-weren-t-yours/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [True enough, the country is calm. Calm as a morgue or a grave, would you not say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/true-enough-the-country-is-calm-calm-as-a-morgue-or-a-grave-would-you/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Literary history is the great morgue where all seek the dead ones whom they love, or to whom they are related.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/literary-history-is-the-great-morgue-where-all-seek-the-dead-ones/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [At the morgue, people were so desensitized that they would eat lunch in the glass walled room adjacent to the autopsy room. A viewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/at-the-morgue-people-were-so-desensitized-that-they-would-eat-lunch/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Every time I hear that somebody died I think of their body, on a steel table in a morgue somewhere. I think of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/every-time-i-hear-that-somebody-died-i-think-of-their-body-on-a-steel/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [Grinning like a necrophiliac in a morgue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/grinning-like-a-necrophiliac-in-a-morgue/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [CINCINNATI MORGUE, AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY SERVICE SINCE 1966.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/cincinnati-morgue-an-equal-opportunity-service-since-1966/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I believe he died this way on purpose. I believe he wanted no chilling moments, no one to witness his last breath and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-believe-he-died-this-way-on-purpose-i-believe-he-wanted-no-chilling/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Sit back and get some sleep. Oh great. So if we have an accident and I'm asleep my resistance toward fighting death will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/sit-back-and-get-some-sleep-oh-great-so-if-we-have-an-accident-and-i/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I was at Wesleyan first. I was there for a semester because I wanted that traditional college vibe. But when I got there, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-lourd/i-was-at-wesleyan-first-i-was-there-for-a-semester-because-i-wanted/) [Billie Lourd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-lourd/) > [When I was graduating from college, the things I valued most were family, faith, and philanthropy. I refer to them as the three f's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/when-i-was-graduating-from-college-the-things-i-valued-most-were/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [I don't recommend skipping college, but things have worked out for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-don-t-recommend-skipping-college-but-things-have-worked-out-for-me/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [“Jim, I studied engineering in college. When I see things, I see them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/jim-i-studied-engineering-in-college-when-i-see-things-i-see-them/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Patricia Cornwell > [Night fell clean and cold in Dublin, and wind moaned beyond my room as if a million pipes played the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/night-fell-clean-and-cold-in-dublin-and-wind-moaned-beyond-my-room-as/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [In my forties, my optimism was boundless. I had really good health and tremendous success which allowed me to do anything I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/in-my-forties-my-optimism-was-boundless-i-had-really-good-health-and/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [I'm always surprised when large numbers of people buy my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/i-m-always-surprised-when-large-numbers-of-people-buy-my-books/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Being with someone who is smart and gives good advice adds tremendously wonderful elements to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/being-with-someone-who-is-smart-and-gives-good-advice-adds/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [If everybody, every day, would try to do one thing that pulls them beyond themselves the world will start being a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/if-everybody-every-day-would-try-to-do-one-thing-that-pulls-them/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [I've always believed human blood is red because it really needs to draw attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/i-ve-always-believed-human-blood-is-red-because-it-really-needs-to/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [“People don’t really know what anything is really like until it really happens to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/people-don-t-really-know-what-anything-is-really-like-until-it-really/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Leaves covered pavement like soggy cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/leaves-covered-pavement-like-soggy-cereal/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [I stop working at about 3 p.m. on Fridays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/i-stop-working-at-about-3-p-m-on-fridays/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Life brings with it strangeness and surprises and upsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/life-brings-with-it-strangeness-and-surprises-and-upsets/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Even if you are a best-seller you feel insecure because it is all so unpredictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/even-if-you-are-a-best-seller-you-feel-insecure-because-it-is-all-so/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [“Grief held on. It would not let go of loss, because to do that was to accept it. I told that to grieving families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/grief-held-on-it-would-not-let-go-of-loss-because-to-do-that-was-to/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [“Desire has no reason, and the need for intimacy had never stopped. I had not conjured up the images in years, his lips on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/desire-has-no-reason-and-the-need-for-intimacy-had-never-stopped-i/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [I refuse to sit on my laurels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/i-refuse-to-sit-on-my-laurels/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Do no harm & leave the world a better place than you found it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/do-no-harm-leave-the-world-a-better-place-than-you-found-it/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) [Explore all 96 Patricia Cornwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. 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Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was at college there were two things I vowed I'd never do. One was go to a funeral and the other was deal with computers. 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