I remember trying to choose a university program; I was in my junior year of high school and didn’t particularly know what my interests were. So, I based my decision on courses I had taken previously.
The history and geography courses were fascinating, but I was also pretty good at math and science. However, I didn’t feel comfortable studying a science-related subject after high school, as I wanted to develop some skills in other fields. Moreover, I didn’t particularly want to become a doctor.
But then, I chose a field based heavily on math and theory to play it safe. The other program I decided to major in was based on history, geography, and biology. Little did I know that I wouldn’t particularly enjoy any of these.
I was stressed from the first day of school: The concepts were different, and something inside me just didn’t want to spend so much time studying those subjects. I felt devastated every day; I didn’t enjoy what I was learning. So, I wanted to try something new.
I browsed through multiple programs. And when I decided to transfer to a business-related degree, I began to feel more comfortable in my classes.
For the first time in forever, I wanted to study and understand more of the concepts we learned in class. I looked forward to reviewing the lectures every day because something in me connected with the course material.
However, I then realized I never took a business course in high school.
Many of my classmates who chose a business-related program based it on their high school courses. Some of them took accounting, information systems, and entrepreneurship. So, they had a general idea of the business field and what they would be studying in post-secondary.
Knowing this, I connected the dots and realized that I had avoided choosing a major outside of the courses I had previously taken.
When we choose programs, we usually base it on our previous interests and decisions. We often don’t consider other fields beyond our current scope. After all, our choices heavily rely on what we’re exposed to.
But this mindset often can be too narrow. When we limit ourselves to a few choices based on past decisions, we may be running in circles. One decision doesn’t work out, which makes us reconsider another decision based on our experiences. But where else can we go if that other decision doesn’t work out?
We often feel the need to keep within our limits and only explore the options we feel most comfortable with.
However, we don’t know what we’re truly capable of or what we’ll enjoy if we only decide according to what’s familiar to us.
It’s only the unknown that will make us more self-aware and confident. We may discover another hidden talent by exploring other options or hobbies that we haven’t tried before. And by exploring other interests, we may learn more about ourselves.
For example, if you haven’t done archery but want to, why not sign up for a class? You may have been destined to be a professional archer, but you’ll never know unless you try.
The same goes with other interests and fields: You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you give it a go.
So, instead of making life choices based on previous experiences, I encourage you to try something new. Try something you’ve never done before. Explore an abandoned place. Take a new course. And to all the uni students: Feel free to change your program to something you’ve never thought of.
After all, you only have one life to live. And by exploring, you can make the most of it.
Featured image via Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
