If you could go back what would you be............?

MiniMoon
Hand / machine sewing books and bookbinding was my trade. I loved it.

I have no regrets career wise . Left school at 16 did a 2 year diploma and was a nursery nurse for many years in different fields and loved it.

Went to university in my 40’s and got 2 degrees and 2 post grad diplomas and am now a therapist which I also love and still do 1.5 days a week.

However got married at 19 to someone and stayed far too long in a dreadful marriage. The only good thing that came out of it were my beautiful children . Now working and living as I like and am really happy for the first time in my life in my 60’s.

Also think coming back as my very pampered cat would work well!

No doubt I would do it all again, college, business, marriage to the same girl, 3 daughters I have loved it all
Please can I do it again knowing what I know now!

Glammanana, were you a GPO telephonist?
I wanted to be a nanny, but as a "war orphan" and in receipt of an allowance to help with my upbringing, we were visited once a year by an extremely posh lady, and she informed me that I really didn`t want to be a nanny, as that would just make me someone`s servant!

I wanted to be a spy, or at the very least a codebreaker.

A book conservator. I saw a programme about the subject years ago, and it was so interesting.
I don't regret mental health nursing. I loved it, and it gave me a wonderful career, but I do love old books. Unfortunately I only have half a dozen.

When I was 15 I was offered an audition for the National Youth Theatre, just getting into its stride then. My Dad said no, they could in those days, so I got on with the rest of my life. A boy who was offered an audition with me went on to join the company, studied at RADA, and after we'd left school the next time I saw him was on TV! A memory I buried for many years which resurfaced maybe 20/25 years ago when a friend asked me what would I have been. It was hard to stop the tears coming to my eyes.

An archivist. I remember that years ago, at school, a man came to talk to us about his job with the London Evening Standard newspaper. His name was John King and he was an archivist at the paper. He name that job sound so interesting, I would have loved to have gone into something like that. Maybe later on becoming an archivist with a county records office. Fascinating.

I absolutely loved my career as a textile designer, but if I’d been any good at chemistry, I would rather have liked to be a perfumer/perfume chemist .

I could (and should?) have done a degree in languages and become a bilingual lawyer. As it was, I took a post grad teaching qualification which led me to wonderful experience working in Africa. I specially enjoyed teaching adults. So I really can't regret my decision. But I would come back as a linguist in some shape or form.

Single. No marriage, and frankly, no children.

Other than that, I'd still be a teacher. No desire to be a head teacher, but maybe more specialised somehow.

A journalist.

Gone to art school

Having to earn a living (because there was no financial back-up anywhere for me) determined my career straight after University.

However, I'd have loved to have gone into acting. I'd have loved that, but it doesn't pay immediately and most actors spend long periods of time 'resting' so not for me. I needed the security of a regular wage. I'd have also liked to have been a journalist and kick myself that I took the safe route, career-wise, in my early twenties.

I feel mine's a life unfulfilled so I intend to join an am-dram group one day. (Just need the courage to give it ago. Not sure many groups require women in their 60s to tread the boards.)

I would follow the same career in biomedical science, but when I misread the title I thought to myself that what I would come back as would be a pet cat! What a lovely life they lead!

Definitely some kind of social work or caring career for me. At 16 I was told I would never make a social worker as I wasn't clever enough (true) . I then had my son at 18 and so my future was signed, sealed and delivered. I had made my bed!

Like you have said Mossfar I would not have married my baby son's father (the marriage lasted weeks) and I ended up as a single parent anyway with the stress and hassle of having to get divorced.

Midgey that made me laugh!!

Given the choice I would probably\ stay single - but then I wouldn't have my son & daughter & wonderful grandchildren.

I would definitely not get married at 20 as I did and I would definitely choose a different partner.

I would have been a doctor, or worked in a cool independent record shop, or run my own care home.

Single

I would have loved to have become a hairdresser but chased the higher paypacket offered by The Post Office on their then switchboards.

I worked in hospital admin all my life, but wish I'd gone to art college. It was just never considered to be a 'proper' thing to do, not academic enough, and I would never earn a living from it, so I never pursued it. A big regret.

I would have liked to be a researcher for children's TV programmes - not in front of the camera but behind. I love looking things up and finding things out.

Barrister or accountant

I have a Master's in English Language and Literature, but it was no good to me. I did Shakespeare's 26 plays, what good has that done for me? Taught for 2 years, got married. Divorced. Don't regret having the children, but wished I did more with my life. Would have liked to do something with crime and investigation.

I did enjoy teaching but have always wanted to do a horticultural degree in Kew. What an opportunity that would have been.