Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
what would you do differently? I'm mainly interested in majors...what you majored in, and would you keep that major or go into something else.
I'm in a very tough time right now as a freshman and choosing a major...I've been through just about all of them in my head...I was nursing for a while, then decided to go into pharmacy, then made the assessment I really do hate science courses and thought about business...accounting specifically, then I thought very good money, but If I'm going to hate doing it...
then I thought about becoming a doctor...taking those aganizing pre-med courses but I knew you don't use them in med-school...then I thought about liberal arts majors like English, Philosophy, etc. which leads me to where I am now. Without a clue, lol.
I've been trying to focus on my passions, as I've recently realized it's the best way to go about work...something you love, so far I've come up with these as my "passions": animals ( I don't want to be a vet though), exercise (wouldn't want to be a personal trainer), food (I'm a health nut, but the dietetic field seems to have no room to "move up), traveling, and skateboarding sometimes, ...can't really think of anything else.
I'd like to hear your story about college, or if you didn't go, and any advice for myself would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
There is no way I would ever again pick English literature as a major. Instead, I would major in finance. Advice: stay away from liberal arts majors unless you are 100% sure what you plan on doing with it, and don't plan on changing your mind in 4 years. You want to pick something that you can get a job in right out of college. As a freshmen, you might not be thinking that far ahead, but trust me... 4 years go by fast and if you chose something that doesn't lead to a career path you will soon hate yourself big time. You can always take one interesting elective class for fun each semester-- no need to have an official major in "underwater basket weaving." Avoid going to out-of-state public schools. It's usually a bad deal, unless if you get a full ride scholarship. Even then, you may want to think twice about it.
Sorry to laugh at your plight but this was the exact thing I was trying to get at in my post about the education system in America...
But, in all honesty, if you're in college, and not sure, you probably want to go into something that has a broad meaning. I suggest a business degree or perhaps a degree in finance. Try not to limit yourself to something that has only one outcome after college. English-Lit is only going to limit you to a few options. Business can be applied in, well, the entire business world
Since college tuition et al is so expensive - - and if you are undecided - - it would be my suggestion to momentarily 'stop' and then obtain employment in something you would consider for the future.
My opinion is that we are now in a world - wide market. That's obvious, right? So several important things of the future is to be able to communicate with international people in your 'surrounds'. After all, international people are flocking to the U.S. The first thing they want is an 'ESL' course or two with "English As A Second Language". So Americans should also learn other languages too.
So why not become a multi - linguist with a minimum of three affluent languages? English, Spanish, & French or Italian(?). Then persue a business degree with perhaps a goal of 'MBA' (?).
Or... try to work in a U.S. Consulate of your choice. In that manner, you obtain a feel for everything associated with our world - wide business.
I had wanted to be education major, to teach math b/c I always did well in math. Everyone pushed me into Business b/c they said I'd never support myself being a teacher. Fifteen years later I'm back getting certified to be a teacher. Business degrees are wonderful for most peoople, but the one thing I don't like about a business degree is that is doesn't teach you a specific job i.e. physical therapist, nurse, teacher. It can be quite a broad subject. Really take the time to investigate, try to do observations of people doing a job you think you might like, I wish I had : )
I don't think everyone needs to go to college to live a fulfilling life, but they do need some sort of training and education if they are going to have a career.
I don't think a freshmen really have to declare a major, do they?
Couldn't you take some required core courses, and other courses that sound interesting to you, and go from there?
I really wasted my college experience the first time around.
I thought I wanted to go into art but that was a big mistake, and I was immature and unfocused to boot. I basically was not asked to return junior year.
What to do, what to do.
One of my passions, as with you, was travel.
In my early 20's, I ended up doing the proverbial trip to Europe. Twice. (My dad worked for United so the tickets were cheap.) It was all the life-changing cliches--it really added much-needed perspective for me. You might enjoy a semester abroad.
The trendy life affirmation these days is "It's not about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself."
I think maybe this boils down to action being better than inaction. I agree with this somewhat, but some self-reflection, as you are doing, is beneficial, as well.
Anyway, I just kept moving and trying. Some of it was nowhere jobs.
Eventually I figured out what I wanted to do, went back to school and was a straight A student. (I still don't make any money, but at least I like what I do.
Maybe drinking less. While journalism hasn't been a very lucrative career, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I might have paid a little more attention to getting interships, part-time jobs in the industry, etc., which may have saved me a year or two of "paying the dues" in the business after graduation.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As A Suggestion...
While journalism hasn't been a very lucrative career, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I might have paid a little more attention to getting interships, part-time jobs in the industry, etc., which may have saved me a year or two of "paying the dues" in the business after graduation.
