By Tayo Omoniyi
For most of us, college is an experience to find ourselves. So, what do we do when we don’t know what we want for a career post-graduation? As someone who questioned their career path and changed their major, I’ve decided to give a few tips for those of my peers who are undecided.
- . Don’t let others decide for you.As someone who came from a home where education was essential, I had my doubts on whether or not I wanted to pursue medicine. However, from a very young age, I realized that I wanted to do a little bit of everything. As kids, we’re taught to be dreamers and told that we can do anything we want. But as adults, sometimes the pressure from our family can lead us down the wrong path. To figure out what you want, you have to let yourself be your counsel. Others may give advice depending on what they consider to be a noble job or how lucrative a career path may be.
- 2.Explore.If you’re looking to do a career for enjoyment, you’re going to have to be open to trying a lot of things. You may not like everything you come across but you most certainly will have an idea of what you do and don’t want. The beauty of college is that you get to make your schedule before you have to declare a major. You might not have the opportunity to try it again. Even then, many people have multiple passions and talents. The fact that you don’t know what you want to do yet doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.
- 3. It’s never too late.Unfortunately, I think sometimes we get too caught up in the timeline of things. If your past is your dream, there is no “window.” So, take a risk. I think the biggest fear for some people may be that they are wasting time by exploring different avenues. But life is meant to be lived to the fullest. I heard you take every opportunity as it comes to try something new. Even if you don’t like it, chances are you will learn at least one new thing from it.
- 4.You don’t have to choose just one thing. Sometimes, we can get it caught up in labels. However, by nature, humans are multidimensional people. Nobody is just one thing and one thing only. Don’t pressure yourself into thinking that you have to choose one thing that makes you happy and then stick with that forever. Chances are, there are ways to integrate your multiple skills and talents into a lifestyle that can make you happy and support you in your endeavors.
I hope that you take this advice into consideration on your educational, lifestyle, and career paths. Now, there are so many possibilities for one to explore. Allow yourself to be free and to enjoy things as they come.
