Major Crisis

Question: What do you do if your major at college is something you can't really see yourself doing professionally, but you don't want to give it up? I have a second major, but it's just hard to imagine my self doing well at them on a professional level.

Answer:

miserableATbest,

This is a very difficult question to answer, but I'll try my best. If you think that you're not going to be able to get a job with the majors that you are studying right now because you don't believe that you're good enough, then it might be wise to have some kind of back up plan. If you don't want to give up the majors, you have to think of a job that you could do within those majors that you would be good at. Without knowing what your majors are, I can't make specific suggestions, but for instance, I'm studying Spanish and Education but don't necessarily know if I want to be a Spanish teacher. I do know though that with my Spanish degree, I can also be a translator and with my graduate degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, I can teach English instead of Spanish if I choose to do so. 

If you can't think of any jobs you would be good at that fall under your major, maybe you should think about making a change. Think about things that you would be good at, but remember that if you want to be happy in the future, you're going to want to find a job that you're not only good at, but you also enjoy. Also remember not to sell yourself short. I have no way of knowing if you're actually bad at your majors or if you just think you are, so don't give up prematurely. You want to be able to make money when you graduate, but you also want to be doing what you love.That might sound a little bit optimistic, and I know that it's not always possible to do what you love and have food and a place to live, but you have to try your best. 

Overall, I think you should try to think of everything you could possibly do with either of your majors and if you can't see yourself succeeding in any of those careers, it's time to explore your options. Depending on what year you're in, it might be too late to change your major, but don't give up hope. Talk to your academic adviser about your career options and express your concerns to them. If they can't help you, try the head of your department or any career counselors that might be available at your school. Think about what you like to do and what you're good at and see if anything falls under both categories and then think about whether or not it is plausible.

Hope that helps. Feel free to comment with any other questions or points you'd like me to address. Good luck!

- EverDreamer