Fresh out of high school with so many dreams and aspirations for the future, the daunting choice of choosing a major only added confusion, anxiety and worry. Every other person I knew had a suggestion and a certain amount of advice to give (free gyan…) which only left me more confused than before.
The first thing I did was to take a couple of career aptitude test and check if my potential in certain career paths and my interest levels had any match. While it is important to be passionate and interested in a certain career path, one must also take the effort to reflect and consider certain aspects such as having a skill set that matches the interest. For example, even if you are very passionate about a certain career or major it will be quite difficult to standout and be successful in that field, if the relevant skill-sets are absent. Having an interest in a certain field along with relevant skills or the aptitude is a powerful combination and can take you a long way.
During this quest, I was exposed to quite a few majors that I hadn’t considered or thought about while applying and it gave me a broader perspective and range of options to choose from. Reading nonfiction books and articles on a variety of subjects also helped me to figure out what topics and areas of study excited me academically. An understanding was formed on what topics were engaging for me, and what topics bored me to sleep. To be doubly sure of my choice, I undertook a few online courses during the summer to check if I it was really engaging and if enjoyed learning and working on these subjects that were of interest to me.
Once I finished deciding on my choice of subjects, the next task was the search for the right college. There were quite a few factors that I kept in mind while making a choice of the college. Firstly, I searched for a reputed college which offered classes for my course with a good rank and reputation in the field. The next factor was whether they have on campus events, reputed lecturers and open events with speeches or lectures in relation to the subject. Another thing that was at the back of mind was the co curricular activities that the college had to offer, along with additional courses that would help me enhance my skills, increase my career prospects in the workplace. It had to help me grow as an individual and keep my passion for my career choice alive. Apart from this I also looked into the job potential and aspects of career growth in my field of interest. At the end of the day, along with satisfaction and pride in the work, it also needs to put a roof over our heads, clothes to cover ourselves, and food to keep us content – a financial stability for the future.
In spite of all the efforts and planning, the interests still varied and I wasn’t entirely sure about one particular field, hence I ended up pursuing a triple major in Psychology, Sociology and Economics. It’s important to remember that not being sure and being a little confused about your career choice is normal and completely acceptable. One should just work hard, put the required efforts into the studies, continue to work on improving the skill set and focus on personal growth. Let your heart and passion be the vehicles that take you to your destination of dreams and hopes, but most importantly let logic be the steering wheel.
