I am so vehemently stressed about choosing a major.

College Majors
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So, I am a second semester sophomore going to the University of Redlands. The school is very expensive but so far I’ve found it worth it since I will graduate in 4 years instead of potentially 5-6, and have already been doing a work study related to what I tentatively want to do after school (research assistant, I want to do some form of research).

I desperately want to just be a Psych major. But I know going into 24k of debt for a Psych bachelors is crazy. I’m taking an Intro to Programming class this semester to see if I like Computer Science, and hopefully I can double major or minor in Computer Science in order to be able to get a job after graduating. I’m really not sure I want to go to Grad school but I know that if I major in Psych I will HAVE to. My sister is deaf, and I am fluent in S.E.E sign (signed exact English, so it doesn’t have grammar differences like ASL) and I was thinking about taking ASL classes in order to become a licensed sign language interpreter for my career after college, until I can get a job in the Psych field. I really don’t think I have any other interests that would get me a decent job after college, and I’m already even seriously stressing about being able to get a job after college with even Computer Science skills. It just seems like it’s so hard to get a job.

I’ve been applying for internships now, as well as part-time summer jobs (I know taking an internship is better but I need to start working asap in the summer so I can save money for next semester) and I know I’m already somewhat ahead of the game because of the experience from my work study. What else can I do to help guarantee I can get a job after I graduate? With these loans, I am under a disgusting amount of stress even 2 and a half years prior to graduation.

I considered taking a gap year and figuring out what I wanted to do/transferring to a CSU/UC but realistically, that would delay my graduation even though it would save me money, and I can’t withdraw this semester because I only have 59 credits as of the end of my 1st semester of sophomore year, so I wouldn’t be able to transfer anywhere with that.

Should I just go with the Psych major because it’s what I love, and suck it up? Should I switch to a CS major even though the program at my school is likely not the best even if I’m not sure if I like CS? Does the ASL plan sound good? Any tips on reducing stress? :stuck_out_tongue: I’m literally so stressed I have given myself an ulcer and I haven’t eaten in a full 2 days at this point. I cry myself to sleep every night. It’s not even that I hate college, I love my school and I love my classes, and I love living at home because I can destress, and I love my friends. I am just SO WORRIED about getting a job after graduation. Only 81% of graduates from Redlands end up working in a job in their field within a YEAR after graduating. That seems a bit extreme to me, especially when I know I’m going to have to be paying these loans off within 6 months after graduating. I’m hoping to find an internship somewhere that will hire me after I graduate, but my parents plan on moving (and me with them) after I graduate so that might be impossible. Am I just screwed? Did I pick the wrong school???

Sorry for the wall of text. I’m also just kinda venting and I feel better. Please help.

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Why would you think that? You can get a job with a bachelor’s in psychology. The vast majority of BA psych majors are employed, and most of them make more than $24,000 a year, so you’d most likely be able to repay those loans.

No you wouldn’t. There are lots of psych majors who go to work straight after college. (If you wanted to work in the mental health field - like a counselor or therapist - then you would have to go to grad school, but if you just mean any kind of job that pays enough to live on, you can do this with a psych major.)

Nothing. There is nothing you can do to guarantee a job after graduating. Even engineering, computer science, nursing, and education majors are not guaranteed a job after they graduate.

However, it sounds like you are doing the kinds of things that will increase your competitiveness for jobs in the future - trying to get internships and part-time jobs, for example. Learning additional skills is also always good - like learning ASL or taking a few programming classes.

If you are this stressed, then you should probably talk to a counselor. Most colleges have counselors on campus that you can talk to about your stress to get tips for managing your anxiety. Crying yourself to sleep at night, not eating for days and giving yourself physical symptoms are all signs of a more serious problem that you need to get treated so that you can concentrate on your work and achieve the best things for yourself.

Really, you are worried to this extent about things that are 2.5 years off. You can’t predict the future!

3

Hi elliebelly,

I totally understand the stress associated with deciding on a major. I started wanting to do music, then considered architecture, then eventually settled on English Creative Writing and now my career is internet marketing. So I’ve taken the long way around I suppose.

There are tools out there that take into consideration both your career goals as well as your lifestyle goals - which are becoming a stronger indicator of the career path higher ed students choose. In fact, University of Kentucky is actively helping students pick a major based on career goals as well as lifestyle goals so it helps to eliminate some of the uncertainty that you’re feeling. https://www.upandup.agency/the-work/university-of-kentucky

Not sure if Redlands has any tools like that that you can use, but I thought it was worth noting.

Best of luck!

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You should go ahead and major in Phych is that is your passion. If you feel that is what you feel most comfortable studying then I think you should pursue that. The chances increase that you will succeed if you enjoy what you do. it needs to come organically and naturally. You cannot force a square peg in a round hole.