As of right now, I am only a few months out of college, so I am probably unqualified to be giving advice to those that are just starting out. However, in recent weeks it seems I have discovered something that I feel needs to be shared with you all. It will more information than you ever wanted to know, but I am not afraid to put it out there.
I have always had an interest in just about anything. Geography, chemistry, theater, physics, communication, music, minerals, mathematics, history, sports, the list goes on and on. Some of these interests developed during grade school, as I would quickly finish my reading goals during each quarter so that I could pour over books of the World Encyclopedia. Mainly, I would read about the different states in the United States and about the Presidents of the United States. As I began to learn more things about the world with each new year in school, the amount of topics I would read about grew in number. It was easy for me to do this because everything seemed to click after the first time I saw it or read it, so I looked to learn more.
Other interests occurred because of opportunities that became available to me as I got older, and began to reach out to new activities. I still was having little trouble with learning new things; in fact, the reading that I did in earlier grades helped me to understand new topics even further. So I reached out to new things. Before my eighth grade year, I performed in my first play. I may have been lucky since small town Wisconsin high schools have limited amounts of students interested in theater, but nevertheless, I loved every minute of it. At the same time, however, I also began participating in sports, namely football; basketball, and baseball. I also began my enjoyment of music, playing trumpet and trombone in school bands. I still felt no strain on my learning, as I continued to read through the encyclopedias and literature, staying ahead of my coursework. Sure, I still needed the teachers to explain things, and I still would get things wrong, but things still clicked along well in my mind.
Beginning high school, the courses began to get a little tougher, but nothing I could not handle. As I continued my interests, I made adjustments. I switched from football to cross country so that I could continue theater. I delved further into music, becoming a leader jazz band and show choir. I began what looks to be a life-long love of all music, especially those from before the fifties, and the rock from all decades. At this point, material that was covered in my courses started to become new to me, but things still clicked in my mind so that I continued to have little problems with understanding things. I decided on my main two interests in geography and chemistry and applied to college, preparing myself for what lied ahead in the library.
College slowly went from easy to hard for me, as it probably does for those who try to excel in every course I took. The first couple years, I was able to still participate in all of my interests, even with my credit load coming from two majors. I performed in one play, and did a little University Band. However, the coursework certainly weighed down on me, and I had to make sacrifices to continue my studies. I even thought about leaving one major for the other, but there was something about the other one that would make it impossible for me to leave it behind. So I continued to learn about both, and in my fourth and final year of school, put my other interests on the backburner to focus on these. I even had to make compromises between the departments on material so that I could complete my double degree.
However, in just a couple weeks of starting graduate school, I have now seen that this was a mistake to have done. I went through the entrance exams, and while I passed them with no worries, I admit now that I had no idea what they were asking me on half the questions. Starting my classes, I found out that there so many things that I should know that I did not yet understand. I saw the learning curve fall before me, stretching out further than I had ever seen one before. Yet, no matter how I try, I always look to learn more about all my interests, and participate in them equally. Thus, I have come to the point where maybe I know a little about each, and yet not enough to make a career out of them. If an analogy is needed, I feel as if I am butter on a healthy piece of toast, spread so thin that I contribute little to the overall taste of the toast.
This probably is not helpful for anyone, but what I really want to say to others is to not be afraid to try new things. My philosophy on education is to dabble a little in everything, so that you at least have an appreciation for what people in that field do. However, there is moderation to everything, and while I recommend trying new things, be sure not to spread yourself too thin. This is especially true if you are thinking of graduate school, as I do not wish my current situation on anyone. As you try new things, I hope that you are able to realize what you love doing the most, and pursue that without abandon, and do not put yourself on the fence between two of them, waiting until the last minute to choose one before you graduate. Be that piece of toast with the savory buttery flavor that everyone enjoys.
With that, I wish you luck on finding out your career, one that you can be passionate about and be happy doing. When you have that in place, you can then focus on those other important things in life, like hanging out with family and friends, and building a future with another.
I am still trying to figure everything out myself…and I am suffering because of it.
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