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What should a confused student do?
I'm going to be a junior this upcoming fall but I am no longer passionate in the major I chose coming into my freshman year. What do I do after school? Do I continue along this path? #major #college-advice
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Marina’s Answer
It's hard to answer this question without specifics. Are you not passionate about your major because you aren't passionate about your field? Or are you just feeling uninspired by the classwork? Is there something else you're more interested in, and in what capacity?
I majored in finance and never had a shred of passion for the classes. I felt they were too textbook and focused very heavily on an investment banking track, which was a career I didn't want to pursue. However, I stuck it out because I knew the career opportunities for my major were abundant, and by getting through the rigorous classes, I would be able to demonstrate to employers in any field that I could handle anything thrown my way. I ended up getting into a role I really enjoy, and my options are open for going back to school for something unrelated to finance/business, or even switching jobs into a different field.
So my advice is to ask yourself what it is about your major that you are no longer interested in, and go from there. If you feel you are trapped in something now that will translate into being trapped after graduation in a field you dislike, then maybe you should switch. If it's that the classes aren't exciting, but you feel there are job opportunities or other post-grad opportunities that you are interested in that your major would pipeline into, then maybe tough it out.
I majored in finance and never had a shred of passion for the classes. I felt they were too textbook and focused very heavily on an investment banking track, which was a career I didn't want to pursue. However, I stuck it out because I knew the career opportunities for my major were abundant, and by getting through the rigorous classes, I would be able to demonstrate to employers in any field that I could handle anything thrown my way. I ended up getting into a role I really enjoy, and my options are open for going back to school for something unrelated to finance/business, or even switching jobs into a different field.
So my advice is to ask yourself what it is about your major that you are no longer interested in, and go from there. If you feel you are trapped in something now that will translate into being trapped after graduation in a field you dislike, then maybe you should switch. If it's that the classes aren't exciting, but you feel there are job opportunities or other post-grad opportunities that you are interested in that your major would pipeline into, then maybe tough it out.
Updated
Stacy’s Answer
Hi Kamari,
Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that you are no longer passionate in your major. I think the best thing you can do is find time to think about what it is you really want to do and start from square one. I think that many people realize that they don't want to be in their field when its too late. In your case, you have found this out early, so I commend you on that. I think it's better to be in a position that you love than one that you aren't passionate about (even if that means starting over). Hope this helps!
Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that you are no longer passionate in your major. I think the best thing you can do is find time to think about what it is you really want to do and start from square one. I think that many people realize that they don't want to be in their field when its too late. In your case, you have found this out early, so I commend you on that. I think it's better to be in a position that you love than one that you aren't passionate about (even if that means starting over). Hope this helps!
Updated
Mike’s Answer
Hi Kamari -
Before throwing in the towel on the major you chose, I would sit down with career services and understand the various paths of opportunity within that field. The classwork likely is very UNrepresentative of what the practical jobs are like. Leverage your alumni base (or LinkedIn broadly) to speak with folks in that field and understand the different avenues you can take.
After doing that, if you are convinced it is not for you, think about what it is you want to do and become. From there, I would speak with folks at your school who can guide you to switch majors WITHOUT taking a step back or incurring extra costs. The most important thing is that you do not spend excess $ on starting from scratch.
I would also focus on internships and other short term opportunities that are more aligned with your passions. Internship / practical experience will likely be more valuable than class work.
At the end of the day, a major is just what it says on a piece of paper when you are done (outside of certain technical fields). It doesn't define the roles you can fill and the value you can provide. Keep that in mind!
Before throwing in the towel on the major you chose, I would sit down with career services and understand the various paths of opportunity within that field. The classwork likely is very UNrepresentative of what the practical jobs are like. Leverage your alumni base (or LinkedIn broadly) to speak with folks in that field and understand the different avenues you can take.
After doing that, if you are convinced it is not for you, think about what it is you want to do and become. From there, I would speak with folks at your school who can guide you to switch majors WITHOUT taking a step back or incurring extra costs. The most important thing is that you do not spend excess $ on starting from scratch.
I would also focus on internships and other short term opportunities that are more aligned with your passions. Internship / practical experience will likely be more valuable than class work.
At the end of the day, a major is just what it says on a piece of paper when you are done (outside of certain technical fields). It doesn't define the roles you can fill and the value you can provide. Keep that in mind!
Updated
Pro’s Answer
Try an Interdisciplinary, Liberal Studies, or General Studies major, that will let you combine multiple interests. Or an Individually Designed major that you can even name yourself.