I’m trying to choose a college major, but I’m having trouble deciding since some of the things I’m interested in probably won’t pay me very well when I graduate. What should I do?
Choosing a college major is difficult for a lot of people. I actually changed my major 3 times before finally deciding on Computer Science. My decision was based on something that I had a little interest in and that I knew would give me opportunities to earn fairly high wages. In hindsight it’s hard for me to complain about my decision as it as allowed me to see success, especially recently. But I’ve also had my share of recent frustrations that have altered my thinking a little. A lot of my frustration stems from having a job that doesn’t really align well with my personal passions and interests.
The best advice I could give you is to try to find the best amount of balance that you can when choosing your major. If the things you’re interested in can earn you a decent living, then go for what you love to do. If doing that will almost guarantee that you’ll be struggling financially for the rest of your life, then maybe you can compromise a little. While it’s important to love what you do, having financial problems can stress out anybody. The key is to make enough for what you need to be comfortable, and hopefully in a job that you enjoy and can feel excited about on a daily basis.
Since we end up spending the majority of our adult lives working, it’s important to find something that you enjoy doing. Life is too short to be unhappy in your daily work, but the reality of our money-driven society makes getting a decent paycheck a necessity. If you can find both, then you are extremely lucky. Most people have to compromise a little, so find something that can provide a little of both worlds and make the best of it. The good news is that college is a time to experiment with different interests. Being that you need about 2 to 3 years of general classes anyway, maybe that’s the time to try some new things and see if you end up finding something that you never expected that fits both criteria.
