# What did you want to be when you grew up? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392 "2003-07-05T16:44:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/21 "2003-07-05T22:40:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vl\_mungo \* > **When I was 3, I really wanted to be a garbage man (they had the coolest trucks).** I thought it was just me! You get to be big and strong and drive a truck with a crushing thing in back. How cool is that? ---
**Author:** ![Lux\_Fiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lux\_Fiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Fiat)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/22 "2003-07-05T22:48:30Z")
When I was four, I wanted to be a paleontologist. My parents were impressed that a four-year-old knew the word “paleontologist.” Twenty-one years later, I still stubbornly refuse to refer to brontosaurus by this newfangled “apatosaurus” nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Adelita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Adelita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adelita)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/23 "2003-07-05T23:03:19Z")
A veterinarian. Then I hit organic chemistry in college. Ouch! ---
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/24 "2003-07-05T23:24:52Z")
A cartoonist, a zoologoist and a Jeopardy contestant. I ended up doing none of those things…oh well. Maybe if I have kids I can pass on my love of all things animated, history, useless trivia, etc and they can do those things so that I’ll get to live vicariously through them.🙂 IDBB ---
**Author:** ![JessEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cdc98d/32.png) [@JessEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessEnigma)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/25 "2003-07-06T04:13:36Z")
I wanted to be a nurse, a dance teacher, an artist, a scientist which gradually became more specifically a chemist or a medical researcher (thanks, Mom, for the suggestion), a writer, an editor, a psychologist (but not a clinical psychologist – research only), and a college professor. I don’t really know what I want to do any more, but I have a while to decide yet. ---
**Author:** ![\_ceQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9bd4f/32.png) [@\_ceQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_ceQueen)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/26 "2003-07-06T04:15:31Z")
I wanted to be that person who plays the piano for the little kids in the kindergarden and they’re all singing. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/27 "2003-07-06T04:47:55Z")
Captain of the Starship Enterprise…I still havent lost hope ---
**Author:** ![Pixelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@Pixelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixelle)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/28 "2003-07-06T05:00:52Z")
I wanted to become a ballerina. I did turn out to be one too, but then soon after, I decided that there was more to life than sore and bleeding toes ☹ so I quit ballet to try and live a normal life. Never quite managed to live a normal life (whatever that may be ;)) and bummed around for many years. These days I’m a nurse, and instead of getting aching toes, I get aching legs 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/29 "2003-07-06T05:01:48Z")
When I was really small, a maid, hae no idea why Then I wanted to fly those jets like in Top Gun… cant really do that considering that my eyesight is crap, and the fact that theyre not in Ireland… Also wanted to be an FBI agent, but again, I live in Ireland, and a lawyer, think that was just an Ally Mcbeal phase tho… Then I really wanted to be a Doctor, but that was hopeless cos theyre was no way I was going to get six A1’s. Then a Computer type person…actually went to college on that one, failed the programming tho, twice, so I dropped out… Have settles with Business at the moment, and it finally seems Iv found something Im kinda good ay… ---
**Author:** ![Panzerfaust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Panzerfaust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panzerfaust)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/30 "2003-07-06T05:22:46Z")
A pirate. I meant a sea pirate, but I ended up compromising on software for awhile. I’m still working on getting my degrees in both nautical engineering and naval military tactics. “Working on” meaning sitting around and saying “eeeh… someday, mebbe”. ---
**Author:** ![Panzerfaust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Panzerfaust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panzerfaust)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/31 "2003-07-06T05:26:41Z")
**Tuckerfan** , that’s an awesome aspiration. Not to say that the rest aren’t, but that one really caught my eye, because it’s one of my _current_ occupational daydreams which will never happen. The Moon, or L5. Anywhere off this friggin’ backwater planet. ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/32 "2003-07-06T06:46:47Z")
I wanted to be a princess (still do)… instead I became a Domestic Goddess. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/33 "2003-07-06T06:53:40Z")
The first time I was asked this question in kindergarden I settled on Farmer. Kinda wierd I know, but I thought I would really enjoy not relying on anybody else for my food. Then a year later I was taken to downtown Houston and I saw the high rise buildings going up. I didn’t want to actually build the building. I wanted to design it and the neighbor parents told me that was an Architect. I knew I had to be an Architect. Haven’t looked back since. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/34 "2003-07-06T07:23:32Z")
A teacher, mainly. But do you see me even taking steps to become one? Nope! _sigh_ F\_X ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/35 "2003-07-06T08:12:28Z")
I wanted to be an architect. I became an urban planner, which is pretty damn close. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Peter\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/36 "2003-07-06T09:44:32Z")
A wildlife biologist/ecologist or a hydroponics expert (glorified farmer on the first orbital station). Much closer to the first than the second. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/37 "2003-07-06T09:56:48Z")
Astronaut, astrophysicist or paleontologist. Well, I guess it’s still possible, being 18 and all. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/38 "2003-07-06T11:18:10Z")
I always wanted to be 5 for ever. You just started school so it’s still loads of fun. Even the worst argument is forgotten 20 minutes later. Finding a new friend is as easy as having the same colour socks. Mum and Dad are mean sometimes but mostly you love them. Your sibling is your best friend and worst enemy and all within the period of an hour or less. Santa is always coming “soon” and it’s always “nearly” your birthday. Turning round-and-round realllllllllly fast till you get dizzy is better then any drug. Farts are funny, so are mention of body parts (“he said bum…hehehehe”). You think the young have it easy cause they don’t have to cut their own dinner. Being scared of the dark is perfectly reasonable. Now I’m 35 …still would like to be five. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/39 "2003-07-06T15:24:18Z")
An astronomer since I was old enough to know the word. I’m a state bureaucrat. How sad. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392/40 "2003-07-06T17:36:23Z")
I can remember back when I was extremely young, when my favorite toy was a plastic vacuum cleaner, I said at least once that I wanted to grow up to be “a mommy.” The idea horrifies me now. I wonder if little girls still say that. For years and years I wanted to be a veterinarian, then some helpful grownup told me I couldn’t be one because I wasn’t good at math. Thanks, whoever you were. I could have been a veterinarian, you jerk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-want-to-be-when-you-grew-up/186392.md?page=3)