Degrees, Should I Change Mine?

Degrees, Should I Change Mine?

28/08/2017

I’m Not Sure if I Like the Degree I’m Studying. What Can I Do?

 

Going to college is a big step in your life which involves a certain amount of responsibility. If you are one of the lucky ones and you know what you want to study, then this decision should not be any problem for you. But if you find yourself in the same situation as me, and during the first year (or at any moment) you’re questioning your choice, you might find this article useful.

I definitely can’t tell you what should you do; every case is different. But, based on my own experience, I would like to show you some questions you can ask yourself and which could help you to take the right path.  

 

Was it a wrong decision?

I have to admit that I was one of those who had a terrible time choosing their degree. Finally, I decided to study Spanish philology, but during the first year, I already knew it wouldn’t fulfill my expectations. Quitting the university wasn’t an option, so I started to think whether it would be better to stay or change my degree. I had a tough time during the process of making that decision, but there have been several steps that helped me a lot and which I would like to share with you.

 

Ask yourself, not other people

I’ve learned that asking other people is not helpful at all. Every single person has a different point of view, so you will end up just as confused as you were before asking.

I recommend you to ask yourself some of these questions instead:

 

Why did you choose this degree?

Was it because of your parents, your teacher that influenced you, because it gives you certain status…, or was it your own decision? Try to eliminate any external influence and focus just on what you want to do in your life. The decision must come from yourself, not anyone/anything else.  

 

Why don’t you like it?

The important question is whether you don’t like your degree at all and you would rather study something entirely else, or you just don’t like some aspects of it. Again, try to eliminate any external influence. Maybe you just don’t like the city, and you could change to another one, perhaps it’s some aspects of your private life that have nothing to do with the degree itself.

If you’re 100% sure you can’t imagine yourself studying your current degree, then there’s nothing to think about, and you’re just wasting your energy. But if it is just some aspects of it, try to think about their importance and whether you can change them (or they will change in the future) or not.

You can always ask older students/your professors or, what’s even better, you can go and see some lessons of courses that you are supposed to take in the future (most universities offer that option). The first year is usually pretty different from the following ones so try not to panic too soon.

 

Related posts that could interest you: 

How to Prepare for College as a High School Senior

Why You Should Join Clubs and Societies While in College

Degrees for Creative People: What Are Your Options?

5 Steps to Do Research in a Not Very Popular Area

 

What will be next?

What do you imagine yourself doing during or after your studies? Studying something just because you like it can work in some cases but what I find crucial is having a vision about what can I do once I’ve successfully graduated. And if you do have that vision, think if your degree is the best one from those that can provide you what you need to make it a reality.

Ask yourself whether what you’re studying could eventually be useful for your future or not. If you don’t know what you want to do in the future, you can imagine yourself in different positions, or you can try finding a little job(/internship/volunteering/just helping your professors) related to what you think you would like to do in the future. For example, I figured I wanted to be a teacher but I wasn’t sure, so I tried giving some particular classes of Spanish.

 

What are your options?

This question was probably the one that helped me the most. I tried to think about every single choice I had. Switching degrees, universities, countries, but also combining two degrees or taking a year off.

I also looked at what possibilities each of these options could offer me (Erasmus/exchange, research opportunities, student life, student jobs, how many years does it take, for how much money…). Think also about the option of finishing your current degree and then starting a new one. Would it be a waste of time, or is it something that could still be useful for you? Sometimes you just need to know which are your options so you can see if the one you’ve chosen is really the best one or not.

 

Final suggestions

Last but not least, I have some final suggestions for you.

Keep in mind that it’s almost impossible to like every single course of your degree. You will hate some and love others. It’s just important that your overall rating is positive. For the rest, try to turn your studies into something YOU will like. Focus on what you enjoy the most and what could help you to develop your skills and interests. Take some extra courses/activities and, if possible, try to turn every assignment into something that will be helpful for you.

And, finally, remember: it’s your decision. Don’t get influenced by what other people would think about it and if you feel like you need to do something (as long as it’s not out of your possibilities), go for it.

I hope you found this article useful and after reading it, you’re at least one step closer to the right decision. 

Let us know if you enjoyed the reading and if you feel like you have the same experience, share it with us in the comments section below.   

 

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Written by
Radka
Radka is currently a student of Spanish Philology at the University of Granada. Being from Slovakia and living in Spain, she never stops learning new things and getting new experience which she loves to share with other people. She's a really active person who loves DIY, cooking, playing ultimate frisbee, traveling whenever she can and spending the most time possible with her friends.

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