# How do you figure out what you want to study in college?



## EndlessBlu (Mar 7, 2012)

I ask this because after four years of attending college, dropping out, going back to college again, and changing my major a couple times, I still have no ******* clue. I'm not passionate about anything. I feel like I have no identity.

I'm currently leaning towards physics, but the classes I'm taking are making me absolutely miserable. I also have no clear idea of what kind of job I want after college. On top of that, my social anxiety has been intensifying lately and I'm afraid I'm heading for another meltdown this semester. I just have no direction in life. No passion. I feel like I'm just going to college because it's what a person my age is supposed to be doing.

I just need help.


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## Marlon (Jun 27, 2011)

Well you said the key word twice in your original post: passion. You have to find a passion in order to figure out what you want to do with your life so that you enjoy it. That is the most important thing.


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## TrcyMcgrdy1 (Oct 21, 2011)

For me, I took my first two years exploring different subjects taking a class here and there testing the waters and settled on Poli Sci for two reasons: Interesting and easy. lol. Just find soemthing you feel a connectionw ith and a desire to learn!


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## blue the puppy (Jul 23, 2011)

if you dont feel you have a passion for anything, then at least major in something that is marketable.


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## Black And Mild (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm not passionate about my major either. Hell, to be honest, I _really_ don't like it rofl. The only reason I picked my major is because, with it, I have the potential to make a lot of money.

As *Blue the Pup* already said, If you don't have a passion for anything just pick something lucrative... Simple fact is, most people do not like their job. So you might as well do something that will pay good.


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## Whimbrella (Aug 22, 2012)

Can you take a break? Work for a while? Travel and see where life takes you?
Try not to worry about having a direction, or doing what you should be doing. It's ok not to know what you want to do. But maybe it would help if you have think about what things you like doing, what makes you happy, what interests you, what inspires you. Anyway, it's ok to just be.


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## Mung Bean Cake (Aug 1, 2012)

Hello Bluee, I feel as if I'm in the same boat as you. Never really knew what to major in because I had no real passion for anything that could get me a career. Somewhat pressured into a pre-nursing major for 2 years and was miserable. Everyone else in the major all seemed like they had always wanted to be a nurse...and all I could think about was "it would make good money"--I never had any real passion for it. Hung on thinking it would get better, but finally suffered a breakdown in my sophomore year, and that's when the parents relented. After that I had no idea what to do because the things I was interested in would leave me with a degree I could do nothing with. Pre-nursing had very specific-to-major courses so not a lot of classes would transfer over to another major except social work. Either way, my options were limited and I was stuck yet again. I took classes Junior year for a social work major, but...again I was disheartened by hearing how hard it was to find jobs with that degree. 

Now...I'm going into my senior year, and taking classes for kinesiology, telling people "I hope to become a physical therapist" with no true conviction behind those words. Though, this time I have the vague thought of "I want to help disabled people get through their lives easier".

I guess...well, the best way about it is to think of which classes you loved and hated. I know it's true that most people hate their job like Black said, but...conversely, can you imagine doing a job you hate for the rest of your life? I can't, I'd go mad. It's rare to completely fall in love with your job, but at the very least I'd want one where I can go "well, this sucks, but I like that I can do this and that". Even if you have no clear idea of what kind of job you want, make a list of 5 things that are a must in that job, and 5 things that are an absolute no as a start.

Like...1. One that allows me to travel, 2. Where I don't have lives depending on me, 3. A salary between such and such, 4. I want to work solo mostly, 5. One with variety 

And narrow down a list of majors via elimination like komori says. Get a list of all the majors at your school and cross out the ones that are absolute no's, then make two piles for "this sounds kinda good I guess" and "I think I might actually like this". Do research into some of them to narrow it down further, then you can see what classes you'd have to take and if you're willing to put the effort into taking it all the way to a degree. 

Still, yes. It's something I need to work on too: You can't go half-heartedly into a field. It'll only make you suffer in the end. Having goals is what gives you the drive to see something through, what gives you direction in life. What do you want to accomplish before the end of your life? Doesn't have to be anything grand or clear-cut. "I want to make people happy. I want to see new places. How do I do that? How do I get there?" Once you can figure at least one out, take that path and see how far it takes you.


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## Diacetylmorphine (Mar 9, 2011)

Like Komorikun a process of elimination, I guess. 
My math/science ability is ehhhhh. So engineering, computer science and any of the hard science's are a no-go. I did do a year of humanities/psychology last year, but didn't care for it and the career opportunities (primarily teaching, etc) don't really appeal to me. I also attempted a I.T course also a few years ago, but was bored to tears and stopped attending.

I'm doing nursing now and I don't mind it. Aside from the ridiculously large class sizes, it's pretty interesting and holds my attention. My one major concern is the socializing required (being an introvert and all) once I start working. I keep telling myself I'll pick up those skills once I get more experience. We'll see.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

Tore my quad during a high school baseball game, had to go to physical therapy. After attending PT I realized it's what I wanted to do.


Becoming a Paramedic first though, then continuing with school.


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## EndlessBlu (Mar 7, 2012)

komorikun said:


> Through the process of elimination. I'm not a creative type and I hate writing so that rules out English, art, music, history, political science, and the humanities. I know I fall apart at the calculus level and suck at physics so that rules out math, computer science, engineering, and most of the physical sciences.
> 
> I'd love to major in biology, Japanese, or geography but you can't find work after graduating with those majors. I also love medicine and would love to major in nursing but it's extremely difficult to get into and I don't have time to screw around at this age. I'm bright enough for accounting. It doesn't require writing, creativity, nor higher level math and it is in demand, so that is what I am majoring in. With a small hope of ever getting in, I'm also taking the pre-reqs for nursing programs (making sure to get As in all of them).


This is pretty much where I'm at: process of elimination. I thought physics seemed possible, but I may have overestimated my abilities and I'm just not dedicated enough to spend eight hours a day or however long it takes making sure I can do the problems correctly.

I never want to do accounting though. I just don't want to resort to a career doing a monotonous, soul-crushing office job because I didn't know what else I wanted to do with my life.

I hope the nursing thing works out for you though.



Whimbrella said:


> Can you take a break? Work for a while? Travel and see where life takes you?
> Try not to worry about having a direction, or doing what you should be doing. It's ok not to know what you want to do. But maybe it would help if you have think about what things you like doing, what makes you happy, what interests you, what inspires you. Anyway, it's ok to just be.


I already had one lengthy break before I started at this college and I don't want to take another one yet. I don't know what makes me truly happy because I spend all of my free time in a room on the computer.


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## EndlessBlu (Mar 7, 2012)

Mung Bean Cake said:


> Hello Bluee, I feel as if I'm in the same boat as you. Never really knew what to major in because I had no real passion for anything that could get me a career. Somewhat pressured into a pre-nursing major for 2 years and was miserable. Everyone else in the major all seemed like they had always wanted to be a nurse...and all I could think about was "it would make good money"--I never had any real passion for it. Hung on thinking it would get better, but finally suffered a breakdown in my sophomore year, and that's when the parents relented. After that I had no idea what to do because the things I was interested in would leave me with a degree I could do nothing with. Pre-nursing had very specific-to-major courses so not a lot of classes would transfer over to another major except social work. Either way, my options were limited and I was stuck yet again. I took classes Junior year for a social work major, but...again I was disheartened by hearing how hard it was to find jobs with that degree.
> 
> Now...I'm going into my senior year, and taking classes for kinesiology, telling people "I hope to become a physical therapist" with no true conviction behind those words. Though, this time I have the vague thought of "I want to help disabled people get through their lives easier".
> 
> ...


Thank you for replying! I love everything that you said in your post!

I think the only reason I'm taking physics now is because I have this vague idea of wanting to study space when I get out of school. I am fascinated by space and astronomy, but I wouldn't call myself a science nerd. Right now, the physics part of it all feels like enough to drive me to kill myself. I took one physics course over the summer and that wasn't so bad, but this physics course builds on the things we learned in the previous course and I already feel like I don't remember anything I learned. On top of that, my teacher explains everything in a way that makes physics seem even more alien to me.

I have definitely been happier taking other courses. Maybe I'll try what you said and make a list of things I would like and dislike in a job. I'm not sure if I'll be sticking with physics, but doing what you said should make things a lot clearer for me.

I hope everything works out for you also


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## Twelve Keyz (Aug 28, 2011)

I'm struggling with this too. Part of the problem is, I didn't explore my interests enough in high school and I didn't plan for the future. I just took courses I was familiar with and as a result, I didn't have many options when it came time to apply to college. I eventually settled for biology because I had all the prerequisites. 

First year killed me though. I was failing calculus and chemistry, so I ended up dropping them mid-semester. My parents were pissed :no. I spent the rest of the year doing whatever courses I could to get some credits. Now I'm thinking of majoring in psychology, but only because I did well in it during my first year :stu. Once again, I have no career in mind. 

I'm not passionate or even slightly interested in any of the subjects they teach in school. I don't see the point in going anymore. In reality, I'm just buying myself time


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## Tangerine (Feb 16, 2010)

A stupid, but semi fun exercise is to write all your interests down. Whether that be, "Coffee," "Ballet," "Travel," What have you. Write a lot, everything you can think of. Then try to make connections and group them into a few themes, or see how they can fit together and go from there. 

Well, that was an exercise from a book. 

Personally, I found my interests, because I didn't go to college right out of high school, and I spent a few years reading and studying/exploring things on my own, until I found and know exactly what I want to study.


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## Vance (Sep 6, 2011)

I was kinda in the same boat as you not too long ago..

My suggestion is to try a few internships. For me, it was tough to decide what the heck I wanna do the rest of my life by sitting in a classroom or reading a book. The best way for me to do this was to try an internship out and use the experience to determine what you enjoy doing, or what you dont enjoy doing lol


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## louiselouisa (Jul 12, 2012)

I also don't major in what interest me.

You don't have to be passionate, it's a good thing but I bet most people don't have passion either and people who previously said their major was their passion can feel bored about it, too.


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## nitro eh (Jul 18, 2011)

well ive always had a very strong passion with technology and spent many hours of my free time learning and understanding it for fun, so my career was pretty obvious early in life. Plus i really loved physics and found math to be alright. Doing network engineering if anyone cares.


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