HawkTalk
Ask a Wag Dillon Quinn On campus The Freshman Experience

Making The Right Decision

Comments Off on Making The Right Decision

One of the biggest aspects of choosing a school is finding one with a major that will prepare you for your dream career. Now as you're probably finding out, this is an incredibly difficult experience. It's  stressful because your head is swirling with potential majors and career paths and not being positive what you want to pursue. So here are some tips for making the right decision:

Try New Things

In high school, starting with junior year, take a wide variety of courses in all different departments at your school. Try your hand in a psychology or sociology class! Join a school competition team like DECA! Get a part time job! All of these different things are going to help you experience new things and pursue different options and figure out if the topic or content is something you're interested in! If you find a class/subject matter you love, look into it! Explore different majors/career paths associated with it!

This is a Youth Advisory Board I was involved with at a teen clinic! Although I didn't pursue health, I was able to get a lot of leadership, fundraising, and event planning experience related to my field.
This is a Youth Advisory Board I was involved with at a teen clinic! Although I didn't pursue health, I was able to get a lot of leadership, fundraising, and event planning experience related to my field.

Something You Do Well/Love 

Everyone is good at something, although we sometimes doubt it. SO make sure that whatever you decide to do, it's something you do well and have a great passion for. For instance, if you're talented at performance, and have a love for it, you should pursue it! Don't let the haters get you down! Do what you want to do and love and pursue it, even if it isn't always considered the most practical. Anything you want to do or accomplish is possible — always remember that when pursuing  anything! Everything will work out for you in the end if you have drive and passion.

One of the things that helped me want to pursue Arts Administration was working with the MN State Thespian Society and participating in their student board. I got to gain first-hand experience in a non-profit arts organization that I really enjoyed.
One of the things that helped me want to pursue Arts Administration was working with the MN State Thespian Society and participating in their student board. I got to gain first-hand experience in a non-profit arts organization that I really enjoyed.

Research Potential Career Paths

One of my personal favorite past times is looking up jobs in the field I want to go in to! For instance, I look up jobs on various websites like NBC or MTV and see what types of tasks they entail and see if it's something I'm interested in doing. If it is, I consider the requirements of the position and if it's something I could see myself doing. That way, I know what kinds of duties and responsibilities the jobs I am going to eventually apply for with my major are the ones I'm interested in. Try this! It really puts your degree and potential major into perspective.

A lot of different industry companies have job search engines like this. They will usually list the tasks/duties/responsibilities as well as the requirements for the position!
A lot of different industry companies have job search engines like this. They will usually list the tasks/duties/responsibilities as well as the requirements for the position!

 Explore Various Majors

Many different schools have very different programs and majors for many different things, for example, while one school may offer a general Business degree, another school may offer an Entertainment Business degree. That's why you really need to take an in-depth look into different schools and the majors in their schools/departments. ALWAYS look at the course guide of a potential major to see if the classes you'll be required to take are something you find yourself getting excited about. If not, maybe picking that major isn't the right fit for you!

Use a college geared major search. Most of them list any possible major at any college in the country!
Use a college geared major search. Most of them list any possible major at any college in the country!

Usually, when you know what you REALLY want to do in life, everything will click. Also consider the fact that life can take you in any direction. You may go into school thinking you love philosophy, but then discover music and language, graduate with a degree in media studies, and end up with a job in a zoo doing development! Hey, you never know what is going to happen.