So how did you decide what you wanted to do in life?

[Pursegrrl]

Oh yes, the Sophomore Slump. I was there too...granted my soph year in college was '86-'87 but believe me I remember that feeling very well even 20+ years later. I had no idea what I wanted to do and had yet to declare a major (I was at a small, liberal arts university and was burnt out. This was the place I wanted to go to school and I was already thinking about transferring! I felt so pressured to know what my career would be. My outlet was music - choir, piano, etc. I was in two choirs all through college and we toured a lot. But I knew I didn't want to make music a career...I wanted it to be more of an outlet/solace and I'm glad I trusted my gut on that one.

I chose International Studies as my major as it was very eclectic: a little econ, poli sci, foreign language, geography, all mixed in together. I also decided to RELAX and have faith that my first job and even first industry I would work in after college would likely not be my last. I didn't feel pressured to get a business degree...I'm not pooh poohing it but honestly my best business classes have been The Real World and the School of Hard Knocks...on the job training!

I started out with a gourmet food trading company and moved on to international freight forwarding, a big change into Helpdesk/IT (long story) and then into Project Management where I've worked in several fields from IT to the wireless industry, consumer services and now staffing and recruiting.

Good luck to you and let us know how you're doing!!

[dbtbandit67]

Originally Posted by usillypenguin

I'm in a rut. I'm a sophomore in college right now with literally no idea where and how I want my future to end up career-wise. All the classes I've taken don't really interest me and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what DOES interest me. I've originally intended to become a business major, and took a bunch of pre-requisites for this major, which didn't turn out so great since I got my rejection letter to the business school in the mail today. But I wasn't so sure I fit into the field anyways. I never had a really strong interest in it; I was always just following the footsteps of my brother and his career decisions. I'm taking a law class right now which is semi-interesting and I might want to pursue or at least take classes next quarter that relate to the subject but I'm not sure if I can see myself doing that in the future either. So how did you find out? What made you realize that the career you have now is what you wanted to do?

the journey to self-discovery can be a long one. in the beginning i wanted to be a computer programmer/engineer because thats what my family encouraged me to do all my life. but after taking computer/math classes i found it atrociously boring, and i knew i didnt want to do that.

then i wanted to be a cop. but after taking classes in criminal justices, and getting to know other people that wanted to be officers and/or parole officers/working in prisons/other social work, i knew that lifestyle was way too dark and gloomy for me. but since that experience, i have never had stopped having respect for our law enforcement officials.

then... i thought about business... why not? my entire family was doing it already. so i picked up a wall street journal and thought i'd swirl my feet in the water of this unknown world. at first i didn't understand any of the jargon in that newspaper. it was like reading a different language. but i kept reading it, and i would google/investopedia the terms i didn't understand, and i'd read other business books on the side, and i found myself reading the journal regularly and loving the articles.

i think the problem with a lot of business majors is that they go down the boring path of going to business school first, grinding that out, then applying for a job at monster.com

like i have told hundreds of students in the several clubs i have addressed, if that is their long-term plan, they will not find success or happiness. if they wanted to work for someone else they need to start thinking about who exactly and why, what will they be doing exactly and why, and how exactly will they land that job. but i strongly encouraged everyone to start their own business.

it's not as complicated as applying for a million-dollar loan at the bank. it's as simple as opening your own lemonade stand on the street. there are a lot of services that don't depend on high overhead.

it's very vague to say, "i'm going into business." i think you should first ask yourself, "what do i love doing in this life?" (hobbies, interests) then ask yourself, "how can i, as an entrepreneur, make money off it?"

goodluck. if you need anymore help, just PM me

[Pippi]

I went through a similar thing. I was always really good at math, sciences, and languages in high school, and graduated 4th in my class (of about 365 kids). I had applied to and was accepted at several prestigious schools, but had NO idea what I wanted to major in, and really just wanted to take some time to figure where I wanted my life to go. Plus, I was from a large family, and even with scholarships and financila aid, I could not afford to go to any of those schools (I refused to take out student loans). My parents were really pressuring to pick a school, so I took the free-ride scholarship I had won at the university in my home town, and actually made it half way through my sophomore year, before I decided that I was wasting my time and money, if I didn't even know what I wanted to study, so I dropped out, and joined the working world.

Over the years, I worked in a variety of jobs (waitress, cook, dishwasher, special diets aide in a hospital, painter, nude model for art classes, factory worker in a motorcycle factory, cab driver, accounting...) In 1999, I went to massage school, and became a massage therapist, which I enjoy immensely. Through all those years, I have pursued my art in various ways, but a woman I went to massage school with inspired me to start making wire wrapped jewelry, and I found my passion! It has taken me a few years (and the support and encouragement of my DH) to take the plunge, and make and sell my jewelry full time. It is a lot of work, but it is work I love! And, I LOVE my boss!

[gacats]

Not to disappoint or disillusion you, but I never did figure it out, and I'm only 13 years from retirement.
No regrets, though.
I hope you find your job, however.

[gro3602]

haha

This is me also

Originally Posted by gacats

Not to disappoint or disillusion you, but I never did figure it out, and I'm only 13 years from retirement. No regrets, though. I hope you find your job, however.

[LovePinkCoach]

I can relate, I'm only 22 and have been through 8 different majors, literally. I then took a couple semesters off from school to just work and think about my future, and now I'm back in school doing something I absolutely love! I graduate in May and I can't wait to get a job in this field, and I know this is what I was meant to do.

Hang in there, you will figure it out eventually!

[lovinalotofbags]

Go with your strengths and interest. I went against my strengths for years and am now in school for a career I could have done years ago. I also love medicine but after this I think I will lay off medicine as a career and get my life back on track with this new career.

[layla]

Originally Posted by gacats

Not to disappoint or disillusion you, but I never did figure it out, and I'm only 13 years from retirement. No regrets, though...

So true and reminds me of the song, "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann --a music single released in 1999. It's originally from an essay called, "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" written by Mary Schmich from a column published in the Chicago Tribune June 1, 1997. Ms. Schmich said if she were asked to give a commencement address this would be it.

"…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. "

[wordbox]

I'm still figuring it out. The biggest thing is to not panic just because you haven't got it all figured out. Sometimes, things just fall into place.

I graduated with a degree in English, with an emphasis on writing. I had switched my major around several times before I went with what I loved. I'm currently working on a novel, and have other smaller works that I am seeking publication for.

Out of college, I got an office job at a place that focused on children, and I realized how much I loved working with kids. That led me to take a job in an elementary school working with kids and literacy. I love it. It's only part-time, but I now know that it's something I really enjoy doing... and wouldn't have know that if I hadn't taken some other chances that I almost didn't take.

Sometimes you just never know where life is going to take you. Sometimes I feel down, because I don't have a "career" and I worry about money and yadda yadda yadda. But I'm proud that I've become more confident and am more willing to take risks, and am working on being content with what I have and accepting that it's okay that I don't have all my ducks in a row at this point in my life.

[TXGirlie]

I would try to figure out what you like and what you think makes you happy, and gravitate toward studies related to that. You do have to consider how much of a market there is for your selected career so you don't end up finished and forever job searching.

Remember, if you do something that you love, you will never work a day in your life!

[Pippi]

Originally Posted by TXCoachGirlie

Remember, if you do something that you love, you will never work a day in your life!

SO true!

[PrettyInPink]

From the moment I could speak, I knew I wanted to teach.

[bibliophile]

What if what you'd like to do is at odds with financial realities? I used to be very idealistic when I was younger, that I'd just be able to do what I want without thought of consequences. But the reality of having ageing parents is intruding :( It's all quite depressing really.

Personally, I'd like to go back to school (I already have my Masters) to do a PhD and just go into academia. But the years of having to survive on a meagre stipend, and then not having enough to pay for parents' inevitable health problems makes it a rather difficult proposition. How did the rest of you deal with conundrums like this?

And OP, good luck. I've been working for years, but I'm still at a loss of what I really want to do. But I'm hoping that time is on our side for now.

[lily25]

I 'm still deciding...I don't know yet, I keep studying and working for years now, already 2 degrees going for a third. I wish I had a specific goal. It's confusing when you are good at almost everything.

[MichelleAntonia]

Originally Posted by usillypenguin

Thank you everyone for the wonderful encouragement! I guess the most difficult and stressful thing for me right now is the fact that there seems to be so much pressure placed on deciding what I want to do. I'm suppose to declare my major next year, when I don't have the slightest idea what I should major in. All the classes I have taken in the past year have been geared towards business and I don't want to have to start over from scratch to still search for what I want to do. I do plan on trying something different next quarter and hopefully I can go from there.

that's the problem, you're EXPECTED to make such a major decision when you've barely had a chance to live life! it's ridiculous! what's also ridiculous is that your decision is supposed to be between the select few things that traditional college makes you think exist!

honestly, my advice would be to take some time off school. who knows if you'll be ready to declare anything next year? why waste time and money on school if it's towards something that you've chosen hastily because you were forced?

i was in your same situation. i quickly dropped out of an expensive school because all i thought when i was there was WHAT THE F*CK AM I DOING HERE?! i bounced around from one community college to another aimlessly until i just quit all together.

then there were a few years when i was totally lost and depressed and i did nothing. but in my eyes, they were requisite. in order to get out of that funk, i had to tell myself that i had to be open to anything and everything and REALLY learning what i did and didn't want in life, even if they didn't fit into this image of what i was "supposed" to be or do.

long story short, i realized that i loved film and tv, so i went to film school, no matter how ill advised it seemed to be. even there, it took me a while to realize that i wanted nothing else more than to be a writer. i had a lot of help there, i listened to people when they told me i might have talent in it, i took their encouragement to heart. and i could finally say, which i NEVER thought at my most depressed years that i would EVER be able to say- I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE. for 100% sure.



so in essence, be open to everything and anything. experience will teach you who you are. don't say "NO" to anything new, you never know what might lead to personal discoveries.

also, listen to people when they tell you you're good at something. don't think it's bs. if i had done that, i would never have believed in myself enough to discover what i truly loved to do.