There are tons of lost kids who are told to go to college because naturally that is what they’re supposed to do. Being given a plan or being told what to do all of the time can leave one lacking motivation, self-awareness, direction, and even purpose. If one simply does what they’re told without giving it any thought or analyzing how they feel about what they’re doing, they can end up lost.
Entering college and being presented with the task of selecting an area of study that you will base your future career on is rather daunting. When deciding on a major, one should have a solid foundation and solid reasons for choosing what to study. Someone who has not truly examined their goals, aspirations, ambitions, and interests will have a harder time deciding on a major. Also, an individual who is not self-aware can often choose a major for the wrong reasons. Students can also feel pressure from individuals besides themselves who influence what major they ultimately decide to pursue.
Initially when I was a freshman at Temple I had a strong feeling that I wanted to be a chemistry major. Chemistry was my favorite subject in high school by a longshot, so I figured there was no better major for me to choose. After three years of taking chemistry classes, I realized that I decided to be a chemistry major for all of the wrong reasons. I still love chemistry and it still certainly piques my interest, but I had not even considered my career path and my steps after college. I found that a career involving chemistry and practicing science was not for me. I knew that I liked chemistry but I could not see myself basing my professional life in science.
I had always liked writing in high school, so I next decided to search for a major in which being a strong writer is paramount. I realized that if I majored in public relations, I could write about chemistry and for the chemical industry. Overall, analyzing my interests and strengths went a long way in terms of landing on the major I would choose.
This blog post was written by Drew Lindenbaum, Director of Fundraising