Here is a question to begin with: How are 18 year old's supposed to know what they want to do with the rest of their lives? This is probably one of the most stressful things anyone ever has to think about. Here you are, 18,19 years old, going to college, not knowing what to expect. You're starting fresh, no one knows you, and somehow you need to make friends and learn to enjoy your time at school without being homesick every 5 minutes. But hey, also don't forget to try and manage your grades even though some of your work is near impossible. I am living, breathing proof that this is totally and completely okay. I speak from personal experience when I say it is a very stressful thing to go through, but once decided is the biggest relief.
1. Take a deep breath and just think.
I know this seems easy at first glance, but it can be hard to just sit there and think about literally the rest of your life and what you want to spend it doing.
2. Don't think about the actual job part at first.
This sounds like I have no idea what I'm talking about, but trust me, it works. Think about what it is you enjoy doing, and go from there. Do you like learning what plants would make good medicines? Do you like math? Do you like taking photographs? If you look at the jobs offered and what the salary is, etc., you may lose sight of what you actually enjoy.
3. Now, think about the job. Will you enjoy going to work everyday with doing the thing(s) you're determined you love?
If not, then you may need to think of other things you enjoy.
4. What made you realize you didn't like your previous major?
If you're anything like me, you probably despise thinking about going to a specific class. That's okay if it's because it's too early in the morning. If it's because you literally can't even stand not having a clue on what's going on, no matter how much time you spend studying, it may be time to consider switching to something that you enjoy more. Also, try to avoid those classes or components when choosing a major or a new one, if at all possible.
5. Or, rather, if you're an incoming freshman or a returning student, what classes did you enjoy the most in high school?
A good chunk of the time you can figure out it is you want to do by talking to guidance counselors or by thinking about your favorite classes in high school. If you loved chem lab, maybe you should consider being a technician in a laboratory, or if you loved writing and reading, explore English or journalism majors.
Sometimes, thinking quickly about what you generally like to do may be easier than thinking long and hard about it. However, just because you like to help people (for example), doesn't mean you have to try and force yourself to become a doctor. You can do so much with one thought! Hopefully this helps my fellow strugglers, best of luck, take a deep breath, you got this!
