I honestly just can’t figure out what I want to do with my life. I can see myself in almost every field but nothing fully interests me. I’m not passionate about anything really and I’m just getting through my classes but nothing is really standing out to me. I’m a sophomore in college and I’m currently a kinesiology major. I chose kinesiology because everyone in my family is in the medical field somehow and I just figured I would end up doing something with it too but as I’m taking chem and bio, I keep wondering if this is really for me and if I’m missing out on something I’d actually truly love. I like the medical field because it’s something I’m familiar with, I figured if I have to work I want to be helping people, and the salary is good. My plan is to apply to optometry schools, nurse practitioner programs, and medical schools after graduating. However, I just keep wondering if this is what I really want to do and if I’m really meant for it. I’ve also always been a B student when it comes to science courses so I’m worried I just won’t be good enough for it. All my peers have such a drive for their majors and their reasons for choosing their majors just make sense. I think working with social justice issues would be something I would love doing too but the idea of having to defend guilty people as a lawyer doesn’t sound appealing to me and I’m not amazing at public speaking. I looked into social work but the salary is not as high as I want. Living in the silicon valley, computer/software engineering seems like it has so many opportunities and I am into technology but don’t know if I’m creative enough to keep up with the job. I keep circling around career paths and I just want it to stop because I am so stressed and I thought I would figure it out by now but every time I think I’m sure, something about it sounds unappealing or something else interests me. I seriously have a crisis about this every few months. If I don’t figure it out soon too, I’ll be behind in graduating on time too. I can’t just not care and settle either because I know I have the potential for great things but I fear I’m just going to end up in some mediocre job I hate. I’ve scoured the internet researching career options and I’ve made lists of what I’m good at and what I’m bad at but everything is so ambiguous and I just feel like I’m wasting my life worrying about this. I’ve talked to so many people to get their opinions and also learn more about their own career choices but nothing’s helping. I don’t even remember what I used to be passionate about because everything sucks now. School takes most of my time and drains me and it’s not even like I have a real end-goal for this to be worthwhile right now. My future is blank and I have no motivation and I’m just so sad.
I am in the same exact boat as you. I am 27 years old now though, and I admit I have wasted a lot of time. I was doing well right after high school, then took some time off college due to moving around from states so that was a big set back but I’m back in college now with all my general courses being completed but still have no idea which path/major I want to pursue. And man, have I ‘thought’ about it a lot. I just don’t seem to know where I would be best at. One thing I can say is what I know I don’t like and what I would sort of like (a good work/life balance, decent pay, etc). But, that’s still not enough for me to know what may be my nitche. I seem to like everything but don’t know where/what would be best.
So, being in a similar situation as you I may not be able to offer the best advice, and by me saying “you’re not alone” is not the best feedback but you truly aren’t. I know the feeling of seeing your friends all graduate, of having people constantly tell you “you still don’t know what you want to do? time is running out…etc”. And I’ve realized something… even when it comes to people who seem to have it all planned out sometimes it still doesn’t turn out that way, I mean we tend to take life so seriously wanting to have everything planned out and that’s awesome, especially when it comes to school/career goals but if you find yourself like me, just thinking and thinking …stop and just choose something and go for it. I have a friend who just recently graduated and is currently a teacher she regrets it. That’s not to make matters worse, but my point is… sometimes you just never know. Choose something you at least can find some interest in that may be able to have a lot of different opportunities and try to master that with out looking back. This is a little project I am working on myself that may help you. Open up notepad and write down a summary of your future self and write down the things you know would make you happy if you were to pursue it, without having the negative thoughts of ahh but that’s not going to happen, or won’t pay the bills etc. For example, mine says " My name is Melody and I am a mother, wife and artist. I have a bachelors degree in marketing and own a small online business where I sell handmade and vintage things. etc," you don’t have to be too specific but include things you like to do in your spare time, and what your work/life balance is like, even if this is all made up write a future self reflective summary on things that make you happy. And hopefully that will spark an idea. Best of luck on any future decisions!