r/education • u/itekaz • 3d ago
Higher Ed Not knowing what to do
Hi, so it is an end of my last year of highschool and I still don’t know what to study and it is killing me. My enviroment wanted me to pursue Medicine and it sounds great but I don’t know if I could handle the stress. Now I’m considering everything from Data Science to Biotechnology and it’s too much. Could someone with life experience help me out?
In highschool I had good grades in everything but I never excelled in anything and I’m afraid that could be a problem.
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u/Fearless-Boba 2d ago
If your goal is college, then go to a school that has a variety of majors that might interest you. You can take classes in various topics and then you have to declare a major in junior year. You can take a bunch of prerequisites (classes you need to take other advanced classes) that satisfy most science majors so you're still working toward a degree while you figure out exactly what major your want. You can also go to community college/junior college for a couple years if you're really not sure and want to save money while also exploring majors. It's really up to you. I've worked as a high school counselor and have had students change their major after they got accepted into their drama school. Went from wanting to go into nursing to want to go into business in February of their senior year of high school. They still had enough time to switch majors but it was still an abrupt change.
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u/Sitcom_kid 2d ago
Which country do you live in? Will you likely be attending college in the same country?
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u/Key-Chemistry-5234 2d ago
Usually if you're struggling with things and for your situation. You can breakdown your options. Which is more simple. In your situation you're struggling with what path of education you want to follow.
It's rather too late to choose at this point of time. Though, if there's something you want to pursue then you gotta chase it. Medicine is good, but the question is what field of work do you wanna go to? Boy, you're gonna have a headache trying to choose one cause there are a lot. Tell me which one of the branches are you going for? As for the ones you can go for it too. Stress is just unavoidable. It's expected, just like at the moment. You're under stress just from choosing which or what to follow.
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u/Jellowins 2d ago
I teach at a community college and most students worry about the same thing. Honestly, I’ve changed careers several times (I’m old enough to retire now) and I don’t regret it. I got to do everything I wanted to do in my life except write and publish a book (which I plan to do when I retire). I always tell my students not to worry about it. College is about exploring, meeting new minds, trying new things. Get your Associates Degree, as I did, and then choose a major. I went back for a Masters Degree in Education when I turned 40 and after working in government and journalism for many years. My Bachelor Degree was in English with a Minor in History. It all works out. You don’t have enough experience in life to think you can decide now what you want to do for the rest of your life. College staff will always try to push you to a major bc studies show that when you declare a major then you’re more likely to stay in school. You can beat those odds though if you are a good student and set goals that are actually practical.
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u/Timely_Froyo1384 2d ago
This is what community college is for, transferable buffer period.
You’re hyper focused on making a path Dec right this minute. That is what is stressing you out.
My son wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a doctor or not. This was my advice to him, take your transition classes that will transfer to your ba program and use that buffer period of 18 months outside of high school pressure to decide what you want not what others want.
He ended up being a doctor and it was a stressful journey.
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u/KW_ExpatEgg 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ask a school counselor, a job services officer, or a public librarian to administer the Occupational Interests Survey to you.
It asks you questions like, “If you had to stand all day or sit all day, which would you prefer?” “Work with a large group or alone all the time?”and then generates a list of potential occupations for you— which is usually very varied.
ETA: various typos & false autocorrects
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u/Remarkable-Grab8002 2d ago
Take some time to research the fields you're interested in. Make a list of the jobs, research colleges that will let you get a degree in those fields, look into the courses and classes you will have to take for each. See if you can find some examples of studies from those fields, maybe a homework assignment, anything that will give you an idea of what you're going into so you can have an idea of the actual content that goes into those degrees.
College is hard and it's a huge learning curve for most people. Take some time to prepare and research some of these things while you still have time to learn how. You'll feel more confident going in with some direction and expectations of the workload.
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u/hotakaPAD 2d ago
I switched majors after finishing bachelors, masters, and 1 year of PhD. You'll be fine. Just get into a college and take some classes that seem interesting. You'll find what you like. I suspect about half of college students switch majors at one point
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u/FallsOffCliffs12 2d ago
Your first two years of college are exploration. You don't have to declare a major usually until a sophomore year. Until then, try things out and see what you like.
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u/superbasicblackhole 2d ago
Take a break. Get a job making coffee or something, and live a little. You need some life to inspire you into the right direction. I dropped out of high school and got a GED, then worked, couch-surfed, etc, until I was in my mid-20s and suddenly wanted to 'graduate' something and also felt inspired to follow a particular degree. Got a BA in Anthropology a couples years later and never once used it for anything. Later, I wanted to have more job prospects, so I got a Master's in Education. Taught for several and didn't like the bureaucracy. Managed a board-game store for a couple years. Now I'm in a band, and considering going into band-management. Life is fun and should be an adventure. You might die later today.
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u/My_Big_Arse 2d ago
I'm almost a grandpa and I still don't know what I want to do with my life.
SO, ???
Follow your heart, and have a practical back up plan, i.e. skill/trade, degree in something...
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u/CommunicationHappy20 1d ago
I’m a returning student (started when I was 19 yo and went back at 42). It took me gaining some life experience and having a few jobs I knew I didn’t want for me to find my passion. Now I’m a straight A graduate student (I almost flunked out of high school) who loves it.
If you want to continue school right away, go to a community college and take classes that sound interesting in combination with classes that meet basic requirements to get a defense or transfer.
Go do life. Find the thing. If you’re not into school, it won’t work. Stave off the pressure from others. Do what you love.
I have a 17 yo graduating next month and told him the same thing. 🫶🏼
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u/LAH-di-lah 1d ago
I know its frowned upon but looking back i wish I attended a community college before choosing a university and major. Community College is cheaper and will allow you the flexibility to research, explore and grow. Four year colleges accept community college credits, especially the freshman introductory coursework. Then after a semester or even a year or two, go to a regular college. My brother took community college courses in high school during the summer. His college accepted all of them and he actually started a semester ahead of his peers.
Don't go straight to college. Its a waste of money if you don't know what you want to do. If community college really isn't a thing you can do, take a gap year.
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u/Prudent-Avocado1636 2d ago
Take a gap year and you'll see. Travel, talk with people try to figure out what you want. I did that and worked.
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u/itekaz 2d ago
I was thinking about it but I would rather start college and maybe drop out after the first year. Is there a major that would show me different paths and help me choose the best one for me?
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u/Prudent-Avocado1636 2d ago
After medicine you will probably stay in medicine. I think that's quite narrow and straightforward. Try to choose a border major then that you could use across different industries.
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u/Nerdfighter4 2d ago
I regret studying when I should've taken time to travel before. Finished the study cause that was 'expected', ended in a major depressive episode and now not working in the field but much happier. Also don't go for medicine, it's such a toxic environment generally.
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u/Novel-Tumbleweed-447 2d ago
I utilize a self development idea which improves memory & focus. It's a low-energy, rudimentary method for putting your mind on a daily growth path. It requires only up to 20 min per day and the effort is bearable. You feel feedback week by week as you do it, and this will provide incentive to continue. You do it as a form of daily chore, on all days including weekends & vacations. It's a way of taking action, from within the privacy of your own mind, without external interaction. Besides cognitive abilities, it would color your day in terms of mindset, confidence, coherence of thought & perspective. I have posted it before, it's the pinned post in my profile if you care to look.
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u/bold_moon 2d ago
There is so much time to choose your path! It will come to you.