How important is what I do after I graduate?

This is a great question that I'm sure many students close to graduation have, and this question is not limited to just college students. Many professionals change career paths throughout their life, adjusting to their likes, experiences, and what they are good at. I would suggest to take risks while you're young, explore your options, and find ways to continuously grow throughout your career.

This is a very good question. My experience -- and an experience I've seen from colleagues over the years -- is that people change their occupation following college and throughout their career. For example, while I received my college degree in studio art, my work has focused on fundraising and management for theater, dance, and art organizations. So, my art background has been helpful in understanding how artists work, but I gained additional skills to be able to fundraise and manage organizations after I left college.

My suggestion is to find a major that you like now, take the courses you need to excel in that, and try it out when you graduate. If you don't like it, you'll skill has marketable skills to translate into another field. Some transferable skills include excellent writing and research skills; experience in computer languages and programs (including excel); and financial management skills (or at least a good understanding of budgeting and financial markets.

Hi Ethan

You have been given some excellent advice already. I have a couple of additional thoughts for your consideration. You may want to gain a better understanding of your true strengths and then explore careers or job opportunities that are complimentary. StrengthsFinder is an excellent method of strength assessment. Once you have the insights from the report, I would highly recommend pursuing internships that align with your strengths. You will gain a lot of insight into how your strengths lead you to certain roles and if you like working in that environment.