Picking a major can be a major pain, especially when your interests are vastly varied. As someone who changed her major three times, I am here to offer you my insight and should-a, could-a, would-a’s if I could do it all over again. Take notes people; class is officially in session.
Make a List
Choosing a degree path that you are going to invest thousands of dollars and years of your life to is a monumental decision that should not be taken lightly, nor should it be the end-all if you decide that you aren’t happy with your major of choice. If you are struggling to decide what trajectory you want your life to head in, I suggest making a list of 3 attainable dream jobs. Keyword: attainable. If your dream job is to be a rockstar, that’s great, and don’t forget to send me tickets when you’re a star, but it doesn’t require a degree. For this post, I am specifically talking about careers that you would need a degree for, like an oncologist, an attorney, or a CPA. Back to the list. Do your research and look at important factors such as employability, plausibility, starting salary, median salary, lifestyle, demand, and educational requirements. Factor these and other criteria you value into your decision making and compile your list. Once you have your list, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Q: What if my school doesn’t offer the degree I need to get the job I want?
A: Remember to consider availability when making your list. However, if you are set on a degree that your school doesn’t offer talk to an advisor; sometimes schools will allow you to create a degree for yourself by taking certain classes if they don’t offer the degree you want. It might also be that the degree you seek is under a different name at your university, so be sure to discuss this with your adviser. If all else fails, consider re-evaluating your list or transferring if your heart is set on a certain career path.
Intern, Intern, Intern
Now that you have your list made, it’s time to see what it would be like in real life—we’re talking internships. I am a hands-on learner, so interning was the quickest way for me to see what I liked and didn’t like about the careers on my list. Regretfully, I didn’t start interning as early as I would have like to, so it took me a lot longer to decide. My suggestion is that once you lock your list down to let your friends and family know; they might know someone in that field whom you could work for.
Q: What if no one knows someone in my chosen career field?
A: Do your research and see if any people in your area work the job you want; if there are, whip up a resume, throw on a blazer, and pay them a visit. I am just kidding, but seriously, get a resume together and make an appointment to speak with them face to face. Let them know your plight and why you want to shadow them. Asking for an internship can be intimidating, but then again, the worst thing they can say is no, so pull yourself together and get that internship.
Keep a Journal
Reflecting on your time interning is going to be crucial when it the time comes to select your major. My suggestion is that you keep a log or a journal at home of your experiences. Be as succinct or as detailed as you wish but be sure to highlight the pros and cons of that specific career that you’ve unveiled during your internship. I have created a printable form that you can use to log your experiences. Make sure that you are not journaling during your shadowing sessions or are using the names of your clients/patients for confidentiality purposes. Logging your experiences is meant to help you make a more informed decision for your career path. I will leave the printable form below.
Evaluate Your Experiences
Once you’ve completed your internships, it’s time to gather your logs and evaluate. At this point, you may have a pretty good idea of which career path you want to pick, but if not, go back to your logs. Read through them and weigh your experiences. Think about the factors we discussed earlier like availability, demand, lifestyle, and consider what steps you are going to need to take in your life and education to get there. For example: are you willing to spend eight years in school? Can you handle the course load the degree requires? Are you prepared to work with cadavers? Are you committed to dealing with the schedule that the career demands? Consider what you want out of your career and what you are willing to do to get there, then make your decision.
Q: What if I am still warry even after I’ve made my choice?
A: I suggest you continue interning and logging your experiences. Remember not everyone’s path through education and life is a one-way street. Sometimes you have to take a detour before you get where you’re going. Whether you change your major or not, you will have a lot of experience and logged hours so changing courses later in life if your chosen career doesn’t pan out won’t be impossible. Remember you can do all things through Christ, so leave it in the Lord’s hands and enjoy the ride.
I hope my insight helps make your major selection easier and be sure to let me know how you chose your major in the comments below.
With love from the Lonestar,
Isabella
Click below for the printable internship log:
