I’m currently under a lot of pressure in regards to declaring a major now since I’m in second year (fourth semester) of college and I have to choose one next semester/school year. My family members are concerned with me because I’m an undecided major and they believe now that I am taking classes I don’t really need at all and they’re all wasteful. I’ve taken all of my general education classes (with 3 of them being upper-division classes this semester) shown on Degree Works and the ones I’m taking right now are the ones that I don’t really care at all (well, I didn’t care about the classes in my previous semesters either, it’s just that the ones I’m taking right now are ones that I don’t care whether I pass or fail them). All I want is a major that gets me exactly 4 years of college total, a major that’s very easy and not very rigorous, and a major where it can give me a job that can pay me fairly. GPA is currently 3.05. If I get a lower GPA this semester, it’s most likely that I won’t be continuing college and be left without any plans whatsoever. I don’t care whether I will continue college or not anymore, it’s not a place I want to go anymore.
Classes I’ve taken at my college:
Writing and Rhetoric I
Writing and Rhetoric II
Advanced Exposition
Calculus I
Calculus II
Critical Thinking
General Chemistry IA
Introduction to Astronomy
Prin: Macroeconomics
Prin: Microeconomics
Understanding Society (Sociology)
Introduction to Philosophy
Religions of the World
Studies in Detroit History and Culture
Film and Music
Intermediate German I
Intermediate German II
What do you all think I should do?
What’s your dream job like? What makes you happy?
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What majors are you eligible to choose and can finish in the remaining number of semesters you have (based on their requirements and prerequisite sequences)?
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Sounds like you would be able to finish an econ major in the next two years. But maybe you should take some time off since as your last sentence says, you don’t really want to be in college anymore.
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There exist no easy degree programs that guarantee you a well-paying job on graduation.
Go talk to the advising office and see what your options are. Do you meet the requirements for an associates degree now, even something generic like an AA in Liberal Studies? If so, get that, in case you decide to be done for a while. All else being equal, a degree is better than “just” a pile of college credits. What majors have the fewest additional credits to complete? Choose from that list.
It sounds to me like taking some time off to work might make sense for you.
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I have a lot of free time today so I took a quick look at your previous threads to better understand your dilemma. I’m no shrink but it seems you’ve been dealing with some level of depression. Obviously, you should seek help from mental health professionals at college and/or outside. Taking care of physical health is important even for happiest but more so if you are not feeling your best. What’s important to understand is that it doesn’t have to be like that forever, you are clearly an able bodied individual with enough intelligence to handle academics even when you aren’t interested or mentally relaxed. You sure can change your circumstances if you took that as your goal.
As far as picking a major or profession, it comes as early as 7 years to some and as late as 57 to others, nothing wrong with either. In meanwhile finish up school with any degree you feel like it. A college degree is a privilege and helps you in many ways. Try to find paid or unpaid internships or volunteer or paid work, to add some interest in your routine and bulk on your resume. It’s just two more years and then you’ll have a completely different life, away from boring college.
You mentioned in another thread that your dad lives in another country and it’s just you and your mom here. May be family issues are weighing you down as well but hey which family doesn’t have problems? Don’t let it get to you. Look at bright side, you are done with 12 years of school and two years of college. That’s no small feat.
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@2plustrio
- I never had one, to be honest.
- Sitting on a chair using the Internet on either my phone/computer. I get addicted to the Internet very easily. Online forums, watch YouTube videos, and playing games are the stuff I look at everyday. They’re distractions for me when I try to do other stuff. However, these aren’t things that lead me to a job or career.
@ucbalumnus Not really sure since I’m just somehow all over the place in terms of picking majors when you look at my class choices.
@CheddarcheeseMN I didn’t really do that great in my economics classes, especially microeconomics. Was a very frustrating class and it’s the class that I have the lowest grade on my transcript. I wish I could just drop out college straight away and look into something else, I don’t know.
@allyphoe I went to advising and they tell me that I have to choose the major on my own. My advisor didn’t pick the classes, I did and it’s sad. I’m in university and not in community college, so how can I get an associates degree? They suggested me to do an integrative studies degree where I can pick three different concentrations to make it into one major/degree. I wish I had a job but I can’t get accepted by anyone at all.
@CupCakeMuffins I went to counseling services before and I’m continuing to do so but I keep getting asked the same questions as other people (real life or internet) have asked me. I don’t think I’m suffering from mental health issues, I don’t know. I’m more worried about not knowing what to major in. I don’t think I’m intelligent or hard-working to continue college. It’s not me trying to put myself down, I just don’t think college is an institution I want to be in due to the many expectations it has and the environment itself.
A degree just means I wasted time and money learning stuff I felt like were completely unnecessary and pointless. I’ve learned nothing from any of my classes at all. As a kid, I never had the thought of what I wanted to be in the future at all. It rarely came up to my mind and when it did, I never knew the answer to that question. I also don’t know how to begin volunteering, find work, paid or unpaid internships anywhere. I never had any extracurricular activities at high school nor at college at all. I only go to school and come back home. This happened ever since I started pre-school/kindergarten.
I live with my mom and siblings and we’re waiting for my dad to come back to us, but these so called “family issues” are deeper than that. The only thing I can tell you is that none of my family members have a college degree at all and my parents never went to high school nor they are employed (long story). My sister, whose the oldest sibling, is the only one whose currently employed and wished she could go to college and continue (long story), my brother is at home all day unemployed despite being older than me (long story). I’m the youngest in my family and the only one left that’s going to college. Can’t go much further than that. I’m at college just to make my family members “happy” by getting a degree. I can’t drop out because of these circumstances.
I mean this in the best way but you need a qualified therapist to support you long term.
You can get a job but are choosing not to. You need to learn to be self sufficient and are old enough to do so. Sadly this will take guidance from a qualified therapist but you need to put in the work yourself. Nobody but you can fix this for you.
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I agree that you definitely sound at least somewhat depressed. It sounds like you have little interest in what is happening around you and little motivation to make changes. That sounds like depression to me. Have you talked to your counselor about that? I think your lack of interest in college, careers, activities, etc. and your feelings that you are not smart enough to be in college are what you should be talking to a counselor about, not you’re lack of career choice. Picking a major is not going to make you feel better about yourself. I also am curious how much time you spend on your phone and computer (not doing school work)?
No one call tell you what to do with your life, but there are people who can help. The advising office is one idea. But again, they won’t make the decision for you and if you want that you will be disappointed. I would also highly recommend you check our your school’s career services department. They should be able to help you find work, an internship, etc. But again, they will just guide you, they can’t get the job for you. But there IS work for students without a lot of experience. Most students don’t have much.
I also agree that you should look into volunteering and push yourself to get involved with a club or two. How are you supposed to know what things you do or don’t like to do if you aren’t trying anything? Usually college campuses have tons of clubs related to volunteering where you can get involved with helping in the community (either the school community or in whatever community you live). There are probably volunteer or club opportunities over breaks and the summer too. And expect that you’ll try some things and won’t like them. You have to keep trying until you find something you do enjoy.
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When you say you don’t know how to get a job, you can look at the website for grocery stores and retail jobs near you and typically apply online unless it is a small business. Might take 20 minutes or so at each website except for Walmart- they make you take an online test on how to make change, etc. That is it.
Ideally you could follow up by going in and asking to meet the manager but this might not be necessary.
This is a good first step.
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Imho dropping out would be the worst decision possible. What would you do if you dropped out? Do you have a plan? As far as picking a major, any major is better than dropping out so just pick where you can graduate earliest.
Ask financial aid department, if you can live in dorms and do a work-study program. It may help you get more involved in college life and be social. Listening to what others want to do and how they are making it possible, may help you find ways towards a better future.
Also want to add that you can look at website for your U for the employment section and try to apply for part-time jobs there. Could be food service, library, etc.
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If you can find this discussion forum you can likely find the several online employment websites.
I’m sorry your parents were neglectful in preparing you for adult life. However it’s now up to you to correct it and be a productive member of society.
This is million dollar advice. OP, if you have internet browsing skills, you can find listings, make a short resume, apply and find a job, anything for starters then move on to a better one next.
Everyone has to deal with whatever nature hands them in inheritance, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, genes, looks, illnesses, grandparents, parents, siblings, IQ etc. Some get it worse than others but that’s no explanation for accepting it as it is.
You can grow, physically, intellectually and emotionally and work on improving things you can. This is the only life we have, better try to make the best of it, enjoy little things and help few fellow humans along the way.
@PrdMomto1 I am in my computer and phone all day, every day. They are an addiction to me. I can’t control that. People guiding/advising me won’t help me at all. I went to counseling services, career services, college advising, all these at my university and all they tell me is that I have to do these things on my own, just like all of you are saying here. That’s not going to help find a major. All I want is a major, that’s it. Otherwise, dropping out is the only solution.
@2plustrio I applied to many jobs (between 15-20 jobs), sent my online applications, sent in my resume, had interviews, I can’t get one acceptance letter/call back. Either straight-up rejection or no calls for months or a year.
@CheddarcheeseMN I applied to Walmart, Target, dollar stores, fast foods, restaurants, gift shops, local libraries, so many other places (even on-campus jobs), and can’t get one acceptance from every one of the places. That’s what I meant by “I can’t/don’t know how to find work.”
@CupCakeMuffins I have no plans, that’s why. I don’t know what I want to do in life right now or ever. I don’t even know who created humans, the world, the universe, how they were created, and who created them in the first place. It makes no sense whatsoever. Also, read the stuff above this reply for better answers from your reply.
Well, you’re right. No one is going to tell you what to major in. Counselors and advisors can help guide you, but they won’t pick for you. However, you did say “They suggested me to do an integrative studies degree where I can pick three different concentrations to make it into one major/degree.” So, I guess in one sense they are telling you what to do. I just assume you don’t like that answer.
You originally started this tread by saying you want the easiest major possible where you are basically guaranteed a good paying job. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. I’m not sure there are any “easy” majors though some may be easier for you than others. Whether or not you get a job after you graduate is really up to you and partially depends on how you prepare yourself now. Just getting a degree likely isn’t enough.
You sound like you really don’t care a lot about much…except for your phone and computer. I suspect this apathy comes across in interviews which is why you aren’t getting jobs. If you don’t seem generally interested in a job when interviewing, you probably wont’ get it. If you don’t have a lot of work experience, they are not hiring you because of your previous experience, they are hiring you because they like your attitude, your potential and think you’ll work hard. If you don’t express those things in your interviews, you will have a hard time getting hired. If you really want to know how you come across in interviews, I once again will suggest your career services department. Ask if they will do a “mock interview” with you so you can get some feedback.
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You want to blame everyone else for your problems. You have deep psychological and emotional wounds that I hope one day get fixed. You want to not work and refuse to contribute to society. You can control addictions.
You likely have a personality disorder (borderline or antisocial) which takes extensive therapy which you seem resistant to. Perhaps you should study psychology to find out more about yourself.
I think talking to the career services office at your school and setting up a mock interview will be useful. That is part of their job - to help you. You could also show them your resume, which of course will be short but they can still give you advice.
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@PrdMomto1 Where would the Integrative Studies degree lead me to? I heard that such a degree won’t get me anywhere near a job, similar to other degrees like General Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies. I also don’t want to go to graduate school to get a master’s degree or PhD. I’m not interested in doing a higher degree. If people hire others because they like them and have met their expectations, then society must have extremely high expectations for other people because that’s what they’re told to do. People get indoctrinated easily by other people, it’s a shame.
@2plustrio I haven’t taken a psychology class in college to major in psychology. I have taken a different variety of classes in high school, including psychology, but none of the classes I’ve taken in high school and/or college will make find a major/career choice. I have never taken honors or AP classes and it’s good that I didn’t. Also, general education classes are most definitely a way for colleges to make more money. Not trying to sound rude, but I’m mostly asking about what to do, not to understand myself or diagnose myself with any sorts of “disorders”. That’s not what I’m asking for. What about those who are “happy”? Shouldn’t they be diagnosed with a mental illness/disorder as well? Or does society believe and decided that happiness and kindness is healthy for the sake of it, meaning without having a clue why? Two of the most overrated things to exist in the world.
@CheddarcheeseMN I went to career services, they told me to go to counseling services. I went to counseling services, they told me to go to career services. It makes no sense, they’re a joke. They keep asking me the same questions like: What do you like to do? What are your interests/hobbies? and boring stuff like that. I want a major, those questions are nowhere near relevant for guiding me to a specific major. Stuff outside of college are completely irrelevant to stuff inside college. I also don’t have a lot of stuff on my resume, what’s the point of the career services checking my resume if there’s not much on it. I haven’t done much to add more things on my resume.
Sounds like school isn’t the right option for you.