Tips on Finding Out What You Want to Study in School
Here are a few steps you can take while in high school that might help give you insight on what you want to study before you even step foot on campus.
By Samantha Bockoven — March 6, 2023
The path toward obtaining a college degree is full of big decisions. One of the first decisions you need to make is where to attend college. Once you decide where you want to go, one of the next decisions you need to make is what you would like to study.
Many people matriculate not knowing what they want to study. This decision can seem like a lot of pressure because some view it as forming the path for the rest of their life. Yet, at least one third to a half of students end up changing their major at some point during their time at school. Though it is better to change your major then get stuck on a career path that you do not enjoy, it does end up costing more money and may even delay graduation.
In the following article, I am going to discuss a few steps you can take while in high school that might help give you insight on what you want to study before you even step foot on campus.
Consider What Brings You Joy.
It is a fact of life that you will probably not wake up every morning super excited to go into work. However, finding a career in a field you enjoy can help you feel more satisfied in your job. Think about what brings you joy on a day-to-day basis. Do you love to write and journal in your free time? Are you passionate about the environment? Do you love science and researching things about the world around you? Do you enjoying working with children or do you prefer to spend more time with adults? Thinking about what you enjoy the most can give you clues about which area of study you might find most engaging. If you are engaged in what you are studying, you are more likely to find success.
What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses.
Another important consideration is what your strengths and weaknesses are. Maybe you are horrible at math, but you thrive at picking up languages quickly. Perhaps you are great at staying on task if you have a list of things to do and too much freedom and decision-making leaves you feeling paralyzed. Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment, or do you like a slower paced life? It is important to lean into finding out your strengths so you can think about what working conditions you would thrive in, and what type of classes you would do best in.
Take College Courses in Your Senior Year.
At many high schools, you have the opportunity to take classes from the local college. Not only does this allow you to start working toward your degree before you even step foot on campus, but it also provides insight on what different college classes are like.
Collect Life Experiences.
It is hard to figure out what you are interested in if you do not have any life experiences. I recommend participating in a variety of extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, odd jobs, internships, etc. The more exposure you have to different facets of life the better. You might discover you have a knack for music but fail miserably at sports. Maybe you will unlock a love for cooking that you never knew you had. Perhaps you find out that you are very comfortable and effective working in leadership positions. There are so many things that you might find out about yourself by trying a variety of new things. All this knowledge will help inform pathway for your future.
Talk to Your Guidance Counselor or Visit Your Career Center.
Once you have taken the time to evaluate your interests, weakness, and areas where you thrive, you might want to go talk to your guidance counselor. By talking to your counselor and telling them what you have found out, they might be able to help you think about jobs that align with who you are and even provide more resources. At the same time, you could go to your local career center and talk to them about what kind of job might align with your interests. There are so many different jobs I did not know existed, and these resources can help you discover them early on.
Shadow in Your Potential Field.
One important thing to remember is that sometime a job in your head is completely different than reality. We have the tendency to romanticize things without thinking about the downside every job inventively has. One way to make sure you have a good idea up front is to shadow someone in the field you are thinking about. Maybe you want to be nurse, but you did not realize how much charting it involves, and in addition you cannot stand bodily fluids. It is better to find these things out before you spend years of your life getting a degree.
Doing these things does not necessarily mean you will discover your dream job or know exactly what to study. However, experiences can give you a starting point and help you learn more about yourself along the way. The biggest thing is to not be too stressed about picking your area of study. The reality is you are not locked in forever. If it comes down to it, you can change to something that better suits you.
Samantha Bockoven
Samantha Bockoven graduated from Villanova University in 2019 with a degree in Peace and Justice and a minor in Global Health. She went on to get her master’s in public health with a concentration in disaster health and emergency preparedness. Since then, she has worked in a variety of public health jobs in the United States and around the world.
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