After I Learned This, I Stopped Stressing About My Major

Life After College Lessons
August 23, 2013 By Christina M.
Christina provides three lessons she learned about her studies and life after college.

When I was graduating high school, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders as I meticulously researched and pondered which college I would attend. Once in college I again debated, analyzed, and lost sleep over what to major in. Now that college is seen from my rear view mirror (and the images are actually farther than they appear), I realized that the important part is that I have a degree.
 


Stressing Out About The Future

Various studies have found that the average person can switch careers between three to seven times in their lifetime. They possess a certain expectation or idea of what a field will be like and it turns out that the dream was not equal to the pursuit. We’ve all seen those TV shows where the stockbroker decides to become a food truck entrepreneur or the stressed out businesswoman turns in her laptop for a crate of carrots to make organic baby food.



Three Things I Learned About Life After College

I am part of the masses that have majored in one area only to change my mind four years into my career. Here is what I have learned:


1. Go Into Your Field With Your Eyes Open

I had unrealistic expectations based on the big screen and as an optimist. If you want to be a teacher, your life won’t be like “Dead Poets Society” or “Stand and Deliver.” If you want to enter the world of fashion, you probably won’t end up in a “Devil Wears Prada” experience. Anticipate the mountain top highs, but prepare yourself for the valleys, too. You have to love the job for the job itself, not for its benefits, status, or salary. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 different filaments before creating an effective light bulb. However, it was the passion for invention that kept him going, not the hope for affirmation or the title of Inventor.


2. Find What’s In Your Heart

In my first occupation after college I had succeeded in many areas: I spoke at conventions, led different specialized groups, and received a few accolades, but I knew that I couldn’t take it anymore. I quit and took a couple of weeks to figure out my strengths, weaknesses, talents, and passions. Many companies require that you have a college degree, but what stands out more is your willingness to learn, your commitment to their mission, your work ethic, and your ability to get along as a team player. When you follow your heart, be willing to start at the bottom so that you can work your way to the top. Show your potential and the possibilities are endless!


3. Never Stop Growing In AND Out of Your Field

Along the way I learned a plethora of skills that I never even thought I would or could. Furthermore, while I was testing out careers along the way, I never knew that many of the skills were interchangeable across the board. I started out as a high school history teacher and now am a freelance writer for several online companies. Just because you don’t like one area of your field, it doesn’t mean that you won’t use your knowledge and expertise in a totally different way.


It’s Not About Picking Your Major

Lessons for Life After College Every life, every job has bumps along the way. For so long I regretted all of the time and money that I invested in my college degree for a field I no longer was interested in pursuing. I kept thinking, “If I could go back in time I would have majored this or that.” But then I realized that every decision, good or bad, makes us into the person that we are supposed to become. I realized that if I could change the path I have traveled, I wouldn’t want to.

Deciding on a college or major may seem like monumental decisions, but the bigger ones are knowing your heart and doing your best at every stage in your life. You’re not stuck in one career forever and you CAN change your mind. Who you are is more important that what you are.



Share This Page:
Article by Christina M.
More Articles by Christina Below!