From the moment we enter middle school and high school, we are told that we have to start thinking of what we want to do, what we want to major in, and what job we want to get. We enter high school, and are immediately thrown into a sea of confused kids, still unsure of what they want to do. As the years progress, our deadline begins to creep up on us. Family members start asking more serious questions at birthday parties or get togethers: “So what college are you thinking of?” “What do you want to study?” “Where do you want to take that?” and we feel the anxiety build up inside us. However, there are the lucky few that from the moment they enter high school, already know what they want to and are sure of it. Yet, it is only a small percentage.
In no time, our high school graduation arrived and at that point, we had already been accepted into the colleges of our preference and maybe some we weren’t too fond of either. We had chosen what our major was, whether we really wanted it or not, and we knew that from that day forward it was going to be full speed ahead. That last summer of ‘freedom’ and ‘carefreeness’ passes by in a flash and then there it is, college and what will become the stepping stones to the rest of our life.
But wait, let us take a second to stop and analyze the situation. What if you’re not sure of what you want to do? What if you need more time to think about it? It’s scary, isn’t it? You see everyone around you making plans for the rest of their lives and you’re not even sure what you want to do as a career. I will say that I have been in that situation. From the moment I started middle school, I kept changing my mind on what I wanted to do. Meteorologist, Chef, Actress, Lawyer, Neurologist, Teacher, etc. I could never find something that I really wanted to do, which is difficult when you have two older siblings, who from the moment they entered college, stuck to the majors they chose and graduated without a problem. It’s difficult, when you have your parents breathing down your neck about what you want to do and why you haven’t decided. Yet, I say that exploring different majors is the best thing to do. Maybe ask around to see what people say about certain majors, meet with advisors, or even take SLS 1402 here at FIU! The class is called Discovering your Major, and there you will have the chance to research various majors and really get to explore and see what it is you want to do.
Not knowing what you want to pursue as a career or major is a scary thing, because we live in a world where you are SUPPOSED to have everything planned out and know every exact thing that you are going to do for the rest of your life. But I am here to tell you that you can’t let it scare you. Take that fear and use it to fuel your fire and realize what it is that you truly want to do for the rest of your life, because there is nothing worse than settling for a career, and years later you wake up and regret it. You wake up, and you hate going up to work every day. Don’t be that person, and make sure that whatever you choose, will make you wake up with a smile on your face for the years to come.