The guide to choose the right degree without regrets.
“How can I choose the right degree? Based on passion or based on practicality?”
High school students keep asking themselves what factors they need to consider when selecting their university path. They have the exigency to reflect on this decision in a cautious and attentive way in order to have a general view of the study direction they want to undertake.
Students may be influenced by different components, such as expectations given by other people. As a matter of fact, students can be threatened by several expectations coming from different environments and people they spend time with. For instance, school teachers can expect their students to pick a scientific degree just because they are good at it and have high grades.
In addition, society has a strong impact on students. Nowadays studying fields like economy, business and management is pretty common and it is usual the idea that having these kinds of degrees is the only method to have a brilliant career.
This leads students to start having indecisions about what they have to examine for their future: their passions or their career.
This indecision arises also from life-thoughts they question themselves and from daily routine discussions at home. It is habitual that parents want their sons to select a degree that can offer work possibilities. Although, students often desire other aspirations: they want to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals!
From my experience, having a balance between these two considerations is the most effective way to choose. For example, my family has always supported my brother and I. Since we were children, we have been told that the most fundamental element we have to reflect on when we are choosing our studies is what we truly are passionate about. Growing up, people around us and also our parents began talking about jobs and careers. On one hand my father sometimes reminds me to think about my future and how I see myself in years, on the other hand my mother supports the idea of choosing just what I love.
I strongly believe that the most effective way to choose the “ideal path” often lies in the intersection of passion and practicality. Here are some tips to do that!
- Assess your interests and strengths: What are you passionate about? What are you good at? List your passions, hobbies, and subjects you enjoy.
- Look for the “why”! Understanding what draws you to a field can help you identify what you’d like to become and where you’d like to work.
- Don’t let others put pressure on you: you are the one who will study the courses chosen!
- Research career paths: look into industries related to your interests and evaluate your passions within the work fields.
Remember! It’s also important to manage expectations. Even if someone tells you that finding job opportunities with a certain degree is easy, don’t give it for granted. It requires study and time: you need to consider the fact that you’ll study it and work in that field for years, so it’s essential that you like it.
In the end, choosing a degree doesn’t have to be a battle between your heart and your head. By finding an agreement between passion and practicality, you can discover a career that’s both fulfilling and practicable. The key is to stay open-minded and plan thoughtful, just following your happiness.
