Did you pick the right major?

[pmp6nl]

Did you pick the right major?
By Isa Adney

These five questions can help you figure out if you are heading in the right direction

I meet with students every day who are terrified that they have picked the wrong major. What is worse, however, is when they are too scared to actually do anything about it. A major does not define who you are, but it can open or close certain career paths, so you want to make sure you choose wisely.
The first thing you should do if you are worried that you have picked the wrong major is relax. It is okay; it is better to change your major now than try to change careers later.

Read the full article at: http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/blog/did-you-pick-the-right-major


Did you pick the right major?

[gh]

Did you pick the right major?

When I was in school, I was determined to attend med school, so I decided my major should be zoology, as it was all the premed classes. I would have chosen chemistry as my major at that time, but that would have required me to take physical chemistry, a combination of physics, chemistry, and calculus. Physics was enough torture for me...I did attempt to take p.chem, but ended up dropping the class because I was completely lost, even when I asked questions and tried to get help, so I decided I would minor in chemistry and major in zoology.

Now, since I'm graduated and I'm working as an LPN, I often think that I should have majored in nursing or in microbiology and completed the premed classes at the time. Since I can't change the past and can't complain, since I at least have a job, I'm thankful to have my job as an LPN. However, in my current job, I'm stagnant, and I can't "move up" unless I have my RN, so I'm looking at going back to school. Hopefully next year.

Does anyone else feel this way and what are you doing about it?

[pmp6nl]

I see it all as a learning process.  In your example gh, you didn't know in what direction life would take you, so you did what you thought was the best at the time.  Have no regrets, move forward and determine what you need to do to get what you want out of life.

As far as the question as to whether I picked the right major...  For me I would say yes and no.  On face value my major seems totally unrelated to what I want to do, but if you dig down and look at all the classes I took it makes more sense.  My course work prepared me well for what I want to do, but it is sometimes hard to translate that to people when applying for jobs and what not.

[Sal Atticum]

I think so, although at the moment I'm getting more and more (should be less and less) involved in things that have no relation to my education or to my study area.  Whether this is because my "major" is less interesting than it used to be or a career in my major is less interesting is beyond me.

[pmp6nl]

Everyone needs an escape to something different.

[Sal Atticum]

Everyone needs an escape to something different.

No!  This is not the way life is supposed to be!

Or is it?  I get confused sometimes.  Am I supposed to treat my job as a job and want to get away all the time (which seems to be what people do and what is expected, especially according to the NPR I listened to this weekend), or should I want to love my job so much that it's not a pain to go to work (something I try to promote, but then I worry about those people who have nothing but their jobs, so I get confused)?

So I guess you're right.  Everyone needs to escape to something different.

[pmp6nl]

You know that is actually an interesting question you ask.  If you have a job that you really love will you stop loving that thing, and the job?

I remember when I was searching for a thesis topic I was warned not to do it on a topic that I was really interested in.  People told me I would get super sick of the topic. I did get a little tired of it for a little while, but it did not last.. I actually like the topic more now.

I am lucky that I have a job related to what I love to do.  I actually enjoy going to work.  I do think that this is something people should strive for.  However, I am interested in many many things, so I still have an escape.  Even though what I do for work I also do for a hobby, I still have other interests.  This seems like a good setup for me... maybe it would work for others also?

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Are many of the people that get sick of their jobs all the time in the wrong field?