How did you decide what you wanted to do for a living?

[NoMoMoney]

I'd say go with a hobby (unless its gaming). ECE sounds like a good choice it all depends on the job you end up taking. I did ECE with a minor in business. Worked the past 6 years at an R&D facility basically 'playing' with interesting tech the whole time and now I'm back in school getting an MBA. I had a blast working/playing for 6 years and now it is time to try to make the money that everyone here says they are making.

Majors matter very little 5-10 years out of school. You end up doing different things until your find something that you enjoy doing enough. Grad school is a great way to take a couple years off and switch careers if you find yourself trapped. It's never too late, but you should focus on something while you have the chance in undergrad.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: invidia
Also, it MAY be helpful to avoid mixing hobbies/interests with careers/jobs. It works for some but not everyone

Like you said, that's true for some people. I was playing with graphics programs as a kid as far back as I can remember, and I made a career out of it. there's something to be said for doing what you enjoy.

 

[thepd7]

I was good at math, but I didn't want to be poor. That pretty much left engineering. I also love computers so I went with EE (no CE at my school, which is fine because I hate software anyway).

 

[Drakkon]

I started college with the intention of programming, went through it for a couple years and realized it was going to be silly as the languages and technologies change every year practically. Went to math where nothing changes for centuries. In the interim got a job on campus developing class web pages and from there developed relationships and contacts and now I'm doing instructional technology (teach teachers how to teach online) with a math degree that i don't really use apart from people telling me it shows in how i solve problems.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: S Freud
I appreciate all the input, thanks for the good idea JEDI.

But I have one question, if I'm supposed to pick something that I can seem myself doing and want to do for the next 10-30 years then why should I not pick a hobby? I know I could possibly stop enjoying it if I do it all the time, but what else am I supposed to lean towards? Usually my hobbies interest me and I want my major to interest me also. That was one reason I decided to stop, school did not interest me anymore.

dude, i rather have my love of mmorph's back, than $60/hr

 

[NickLim]

You should take an inventory of your strengths and see if they are applicable to certain majors and read up on it, possibly talk to your career center. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to find a rewarding carrer.

For me I was alright in math (and enjoyed it to an extent) and knew I wanted a career that was decent paying and thought I could do well in; hence accounting. Since taking high school advance placement classes like calculus and physics, I got somewhat easily fustrated in these classes and didn't like programming either, so I couldn't go to engineering or computer science side. So I looked at the business majors that were techincal, and I shot for that, and found I could hang with it, and boom here I am. Depending on which accounting course, numbers may not even be a crucial part, like auditing. Keeping in mind there are many disciplines in accounting, do I regret making that decision or have 2nd thoughts on my choice ... well yeah, sometimes the job ain't all fun but most people probably feel like that once in a while. But also, depending on your company you'll work for, one place maybe a good place for you to work, other places might make you life a living hell and make you hate the career you have chosen. At the end of the day though, you can NOT hate what you do.

 

[BoomerD]

My vocational rehabilitation program put me through a couple of batteries of tests to test my aptitudes, interests, education level, IQ, which hand I wiped my arse with, etc...through it all, I scored low in the spatial reasoning sections, so what does my counselor stick me in? Architectural Drafting...something that requires a HIGH level of spatial reasoning and perception...
After less than one semester in Graphics and Design, I realized that this is NOT the field for me. (duh) It's taken some work, but I THINK I have the "powers that be" convinced to let me change my major to Business Management/Accounting.
I certainly hope so, because I'm registered in ALL Business management/bookkeeping classes for next semester...and none of the architecture classes I'd need to continue have any openings left...all are totally full with about 15 or more on the waiting lists...
Numbers I understand (to a point...no algebra, calculus, trig, etc for me) but arty stuff and concepts are as foreign to me as the Chinese language is...

 

[Apathetic]

I was pretty lucky in that I knew I wanted to be a computer programmer since sometime in middle school. My advice to you is to keep trying different things that you like. Maybe you should reconsider Psychology. Based on your OP, you seemed to like it and switched away to try something you thought would be better.

Dave

 

[IronWing]

I had to be a scientist because I'm not a dumbass.

 

[manowar821]

A Pirate...




















... That specializes in butts.

 

[Alphathree33]

Courses you take at school != job you have in the real world.

Don't assume that people who graduate with psychology degrees go on to do psychology work. After all, how similar is waiting tables to being in a psychology lecture?

Universities are not "job training". They're places of higher education. Don't get the two mixed up. Go to a community college if you want "job training."

The exception is Engineering, which I would call job training. CS is also reasonable good for job training but it still has a nice academic component.

Then again, I took E&CE and absolutely hated it. Still graduated and doing Product Management now. Hardly engineering, but I make just as much and I get to deal with real human beings instead of code.... including the cute girls in marketing. =0

 

[pulse8]

I just kind of fell into something I'm really good at.

 

[brtspears2]

I have a Sociology degree but working in IT. College was sure a great time to have a "4 year vacation" to learn about life and gain work experience.

 

[angminas]

A teacher friend recommended a book to me on this subject- Do What You Are. I haven't read it yet, but I trust his opinion. Check it out.

 

[Mo0o]

Dont think of your major as something you're locked into. Study what you're interested in and the answer will clear up as you go.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: NickLim
You should take an inventory of your strengths and see if they are applicable to certain majors and read up on it, possibly talk to your career center. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to find a rewarding carrer.

For me I was alright in math (and enjoyed it to an extent) and knew I wanted a career that was decent paying and thought I could do well in; hence accounting. Since taking high school advance placement classes like calculus and physics, I got somewhat easily fustrated in these classes and didn't like programming either, so I couldn't go to engineering or computer science side. So I looked at the business majors that were techincal, and I shot for that, and found I could hang with it, and boom here I am. Depending on which accounting course, numbers may not even be a crucial part, like auditing. Keeping in mind there are many disciplines in accounting, do I regret making that decision or have 2nd thoughts on my choice ... well yeah, sometimes the job ain't all fun but most people probably feel like that once in a while. But also, depending on your company you'll work for, one place maybe a good place for you to work, other places might make you life a living hell and make you hate the career you have chosen. At the end of the day though, you can NOT hate what you do.

Just depends on what kind of person you are. I am fairly sure that coal miners don't love their job. Or migrant workers picking fruit in fields all day. Or most people working in a factory doing mindnumbing tasks all day.

Sometimes you do what you gotta do, it's too bad most Americans (especially ones my age) think that they deserve to like their job. That's no where in the Constitution last time I checked.

 

[LS21]

took elective science course and was hooked. the profession was also a little left-field... so that part was cool.

 

[HardcoreRomantic]

My first year of college, I was looking into linguistics because I'm good with language. After looking into my options for after college, I decided against it, got frustrated, and randomly chose cabinetmaking/furnituremaking at a local tech school. Not knowing much about the industry before going in, I pretty much figured out that it wasn't for me one semester into 4 (I did finish the program and make some pretty school stuff though). Came back to the University with an idea of what I wanted to do, ended up loving my chemistry class, and am now pursuing that.

If you have any generals left to take, maybe take a couple random classes (that still fit the requirements), and see if something clicks.