<p>Hi,
so it's that time of year and starting a new semester. I'm a sophmore at a private on the east coast and I have a couple questions.
Is it normal to second guess my major and career choice?
I'm studying business, and I like it, I do pretty well, I have that "corporate-leadership" personality that people seem to gravitate to but it's really stressful. I feel like I'm always studying/working and life seems to be passing me by while I just go through the motions of studying like a robot. Everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves much more than me, and I sometimes feel like I don't fit in. I have a very fun side of me but it get suppressed by school and completing assignments and tasks and checking off to do lists. Sometimes I just want to say **** it and just do things that I enjoy(even though they realistically wouldn't lead to making a living) Is this normal? Am I just going through typical panic of being a college student? Why does everyone else seem to handle stress so well? </p>
<p>Any feedback would be greatly appreciated</p>
<p>I’d say that’s pretty normal.</p>
<p>It sounds like you might have had a hard schedule… is it possible to take fewer/easier classes next semester without messing up your 4 year plan? A more balanced schedule can give you more free time, and make school much less stressful.</p>
<p>It’s totally normal.</p>
<p>In addition to relaxing your schedule a little like failure suggested, is it possible to adjust your work-life balance? You might be working more than you need to, making it feel like you have no social life. If you haven’t already, try checking out Cal Newport to learn about working smarter, not harder. He’s pretty popular on this website, and with good reason.</p>
<p>I agree with the others that say it’s totally normal.</p>
<p>Most people I know hated their classes or their majors or their jobs at one point. It’s hard work, and students juggle a lot of different things at the same time. It’s okay to feel like you’re tired of it all, and it’s perfectly normal to second guess it. You’ll be grateful for the hard work you put in later, but right now, it’s completely normal to feel like it sucks. And I promise, that the other students may seem like they’re having more fun, but they probably all feel stressed and tired over classes or their career choices at some point.</p>
<p>Something you could try incorporating into your routine is scheduling in something that you enjoy every day or week or whatever. Everyone needs some time to do whatever they want, and you could set aside time see a movie or go out on the weekends or go running in the mornings or whatever you find enjoyable. Even if you feel guilty because you should be studying, taking time to do whatever you want can keep you from getting burnt out. I used to have a mental health night when I would go out to dinner or something with friends, guilt free. Made it a lot easier to get back to get things done without feeling like I was a drone.</p>
<p>Well it sounds like you are working hard to get good grades.
For all you know, your classmates can be doing much worse than you but are having more fun. That’s great for them but you are paying a lot of money for your own education and it is not intended to be easy. In addition, some people are able to balance their schoolwork in different ways and may be able to fit more “fun” in…it just depends on everyone’s style.</p>
<p>I think it’s completely normal to think like this, you just have to keep pushing yourself until you get out of this rut that you are in. I say try to challenge yourself to get out of your normal routine. Join one club or take a fun class. Do something you can look forward to once a week or once every couple days to keep you sane.
In theory, this won’t derail your studies but can add a little spice to your life.</p>