We all got into the university our major subject being the only thing in mind. Soon in the passing of the first year we realize that we need to pick up a minor too. For some of the students it’s clear and easy, but I bet most of us struggle with the decision whether to study environmental politics or astrophysics, since the range of subjects to choose from is pretty overwhelming. Whether your approach for choosing the subject is a bursting passion or rational career choices, I offer few thoughts to help you with your struggle. It’s always a perfect time to start a new minor – for example in the summer university!
1. I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it!
This is the most obvious starting point for most of us when we start wondering in the sea of options. It’s also the most important one. If you pick a subject you completely loathe, you’ll end up doing something that makes you want to get so drunk every Friday evening that you can’t even remember your own name, just to forget about the awful work week you had. We all want to make our life meaningful, so think about what subject makes you eager to grab those books and head to the library? Also, keep in mind that you can’t know this from the name of the subject, you’ve got to try it first. If you have time, explore a bunch of new subjects even just a little. I went through three subjects and tons of self-examination before finding my thing.
2. I only studied for an hour, still got an A from the test.
Are you terrible at math but learn languages easily? Then you might consider taking a minor where you can use your strength in languages. Interest and abilities usually go hand in hand. If you are hopeless at something you rarely have an interest towards it in the first place. However, you shouldn’t only look for what you are good and bad at through black-and-white goggles. Sometimes you might not be the best at something, but hard work and interest in learning the subject can get you there. I’m extremely bad at math, but decided to take the challenge and do a minor in business, since I’m really motivated and trust myself to survive, even if the field is not exactly my strength. You should consider challenging yourself! Take that subject you are interested in even if it feels like a mission impossible.
3. Should I pick one ice cream flavor or two?
The University of Helsinki requires many of us to pick one 60 credit minor or two 25 credit minors for our Bachelor’s degree. There’s advantages to both choices. If you have a great interest towards one specific subject and you wish to work in the field, or might even have in mind to complete a double Master’s, you should certainly consider picking a 60 credit minor. If you are looking for a minor to widen your knowledge in different fields and want to be more of a “know-a-bit-of-it-all” professional, or have a great plan to combine all your subjects together, go for two minors. And who says you can’t do two 60 credit minors, if you’re diligent enough!
4. If only I could work in that position!
Some of us only study things here and there without any plans to pursue a certain career, but some of us have career goals in mind when picking up a minor. Having a career goal in mind can also give a lot of motivation to study the subject. Explore LinkedIn, the alumni network or wherever you can find the people with the jobs that interest you. Look up what they have studied and consider if that might help you to land a similar kind of job. Also, consider asking an interesting future employer what kind of requirements they have. It is a great way to get the information to back up your choices. But remember, things don’t always go according to the book. People are also working in many jobs with the most random combination of subjects.
5. Let’s do something fierce!
When the HR people are reading applications, you can imagine how ten graduates with the completely similar major-minor-language skills-combination don’t really stand up from the mass. Sometimes a wild choice for a minor may land you a dream job. Explore the options in other universities as well and use your right to apply for flexible JOO studies. How many people have studied Future Studies or Korean as their minor? Not only may it land you an interesting job, but it also might open up a whole new world which you never knew about. Choosing a minor from a very different field from your own may help you grow academically as well as personally. The things we learn in the lecture hall can be useful in unexpected places.