About a year and four months ago, I made one of the biggest decisions I have ever made to date… I switched universities, but not only universities, I switched majors. It was a great risk, but I didn’t see it that way. I didn’t see the risk in it. It was a decision. A decision that could have been the wrong decision, one that could have pushed me back another year or that could have left me lost, that I could have been unhappy with. However, I decided to follow the gut feeling that told me this was right.
The decision wasn’t really carefully thought out though. I made the decision on an impulse, after having an argument with a friend. Adding that to how miserable I felt at my old university, it really just made me want to get out of there. I wanted to escape. I thought psychology could be my escape after taking a class about it over the summer. A class I thoroughly enjoyed. The only class I ever enjoyed in that place.
The professor was a neuropsychologist, therefore the class was very scientific in its approach. I had been studying biology before and although I didn’t enjoy learning through that perspective, this class made it more fun. I could see clearly the scientific applications of Ivan Pavlov’s classical conditioning, as well as the theoretical perspective of the learning process that occurs.
Why study psychology? It was a question I had never asked myself before, nor even considered the possibility. Not because I didn’t like it, or because I thought there were better areas of study. I just never looked into it enough to see what it was all about. Later on, however, the more I thought about it, the more obvious it seemed that it was what I should have gone for in the first place.
My reason isn’t because I want to help people. I do… but we all do. That shouldn’t be the only reason. It’s not because I give good advice. Psychologists don’t exactly give advice. Not in the traditional sense anyway. Also, I believe I’m not that crazy (lol, stereotype). I’ve been given a clean bill of mental health by two psychologists, in case you were wondering. Yet, my reason is just as simple: it’s because I like people. Therefore, I like studying them. I notice their habits, appreciate their ways of thinking and yes, I judge them…but I’ll give them a chance to prove me wrong.
I like the flexibility in psychology. The fact that almost anything goes. You can try to put people into boxes, but there will always be one that breaks the stereotype. There can be a standard, of course. Most people will fit into those guidelines. For example: Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development. The way our development is presented there goes hand in hand with how growing up in society works today. Yes, there are some things that need to be adjusted to fit in with the times, but more or less, we definitely go through all those stages: from being children learning how to behave from our parents to trying to find out who we are and who we want to be as adults.
It’s interesting. Exciting and innovative. Back then, I knew. I knew that no matter what, I wouldn’t regret it, and I don’t. I have grown so much in so little time. I’ve become a better student, a better member of my academic community, I’ve made excellent friends who push me every day and I can finally see where my path is taking me and what my goals are.
During your early 20’s, there will be a lot of changes in your life. You might choose a career path, a life partner, a new home or an ideology to follow. You will be afraid and you will be daring at the same time. Sometimes, you will do things without measuring the consequences. Other times, you will hide away from life’s responsibilities. This is fine. At this age, everything goes and everything is still reparable. Things always come out fine in the end. They did so with me.
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