Questioning your now but knowing your end goal 

Questioning your now but knowing your end goal 

Everyone experiences moments of doubt about whether or not they have chosen the right college major and life path. College opens doors to so many opportunities that it leads us to question what we are supposed to be doing. How are we supposed to know exactly what we want to do when we are 18? It is crazy to think the major we choose can determine our whole life! If you are going through this questioning and self-doubt, it is okay. Everyone goes through it.

Personally, I went through this about once a month last year. I am a political science major with the goal of going to law school and becoming an attorney. I know my end goal. I knew I wanted to be an attorney since the sixth grade, but a political science major? Not so much. I have often doubted my path, especially when comparing myself to STEM majors. I am not up until 4 a.m. studying for biology, and I am not in labs all day, and sometimes that makes me feel like I’m underachieving. I have debated changing to a nursing major or a business major or pursuing a path that provides more job options for when I graduate. I hear criticism of how my major is “too easy” or “not a real major,” and I go through waves of not knowing if my “now” is where I am supposed to be.

But here I am, a political science major, and I am enjoying every second of it. Now that I am in upper-level classes that I get to choose, I look forward to going to class. I want to learn more than the material I am already covering, I want to go deeper into the topics of discussion and I now know that this is the path for me. I no longer compare myself to students in totally different majors than me because I understand that the work I am doing is making just as much of an impact as the work they do. But to get to this point was not an easy journey. After reflecting on this journey, I identified some of the most important steps I took to gain my confidence back. 

Graduates in My Major

When going through this period of doubt, I found that reaching out to graduates and seniors in my major helped me to find confidence in my journey. Hearing their testimonies and goals helped me to realize that I had the same passion and desires as them, and they were able to achieve these goals through my major. 

Career Center

I know it sounds strange to go to the Career Center when you do not need a job yet, but they are a resource for so much more. I sat down with a counselor and explained my situation and she shared with me so many job opportunities available from pursuing just my major with no further education that I had no idea about. This opened my eyes to so many more possibilities that I could pursue in my field, and made me feel confident about continuing with my major. 

Professors

They were in the same shoes as you. There is a high chance your professors went through or know someone who went through the same dilemma and doubt as you could be facing. Reach out to them and discuss your problems. They may have similar stories or a different perspective to consider about your major. 

 

In the end, you decide what you want your life to be — but if you are concerned or facing doubt, it is okay. Utilize the resources around you to find your path and discover the possibilities you have to make an impact on the world. 

 

Written by: Ashley Jones 

10/31/2019

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