I’m a first-year undergrad who’s seeking some advice regarding majors.
My dilemma involves physics. I’ve been fascinated by everything in my high school and college physics classes—especially mechanics—and find doing extra exercises, reading textbooks, surfing physics forums, etc. outside of class very natural.
However, I do not envision myself teaching or conducting research that few outside the profession might understand or benefit from. What’s more, I have not yet been formally exposed to anything particle related, so I can’t say my interest will remain as strong after I delve into the more abstract aspects of physics.
I also happen to be very interested in economics, especially behaviorism and the psychology involved. My coursework so far has been entirely conceptual, though I don’t think my interest will be dampened by the math that will surely come into play down the road.
In short, at the risk of sounding clichéd, I just love learning about how the world works. I feel like I might enjoy a career that involves, in purposely vague terms, solving practical problems, developing new ideas, or optimizing existing practices—one that would have visible effects on ordinary people.
I had originally planned to double-major, though it seems that doing so can be unnecessarily constricting, especially since my school has a fair number of core requirements. My main fear is that majoring in physics with no intention to pursue a career in academia might not be the most prudent decision, especially with econ as a viable alternative.
Other potentially relevant info: Based on my impressions thus far, I am “better” at physics than I am at econ relative to my classmates. If it makes any difference, my school is known more for econ than physics. Unfortunately, we lack an engineering major, if you were thinking about suggesting that. Any advice would be much appreciated!