Explore. Dream. Discover.

twain quote

 

This week I have found myself in conversations with friends about majors, careers, and life plans. I am currently undecided, and let me just say right now how jealous I am of everyone who knows what they would like to do with their life. There have been times, especially this week before scheduling, where I have lost hours of time, researching majors and careers, and trying to decipher what field I want to go into. As I told my other undecided friends about this, I often found myself in lengthy conversations on the topic. A common idea that has come up in these conversations is the notion of wanting to major in something that will ensure one can make a living for themselves. In fact, I can remember on several occasions saying that I did not want to major in something because I would not make any money.

Although I know that it is important to be able to support myself, and that income should be a factor when choosing a major and later career, I think I have put too much emphasis on this factor. By no means have I been making decisions based on whether I will be able to make a comfortable living, or find a job, but the thought always seems to be lingering in the back of my mind. When I was looking for a quote to share this week, I cam across this one, an old favorite of mine that states, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Is this not the time to take chances? We are not even twenty years old. We have minimal responsibilities compared to those we will take on as we age. Are these not the days to try something? To try anything? Why not apply for a summer internship that you are passionate about instead of working this summer? Why not explore fields that you care about, and want to make a difference in? As we go away for spring break, I encourage everyone to take a little bit of time and just think about their goals, and more importantly their dreams. These are the times to discover how to incorporate our passions and dreams into our lives and later careers. If we do not do this now, when we look back in twenty years, will it be too late?

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11 Responses to Explore. Dream. Discover.

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  7. Amanda Rees says:

    Absolutely so true. That’s actually the first time I’ve heard that quote, but I love it a lot. Don’t worry about those people who think they’ve got it all figured out. No need to compare yourself them, and let’s be real: They will probably change their minds or go through some major inner turmoil about changing their minds soon enough. You’ve got a good attitude about thinking about careers. One of my favorite quotes that goes along with your ideas here is: Choose a career that makes you happy, and you’ll never work a day in your life. – Confucius.

  8. Catherine Cicholski says:

    My friend and I were just having a conversation about this the other day. I’m currently torn between four majors (I know that’s a lot, but they’re all interconnected) so I kind of dedicated this semester to trying out all of them. Hopefully by the end of the semester I’ll have a more concrete idea of what I want to do. I really love the quote because I often find myself holding back from things, but then when I don’t hold myself back and act on instinct I’m glad that I did. I really love your blog this week. I think it definitely is applicable to all of us here!

  9. Sam Kantner says:

    While I agree that you should major in something you find interesting, I wouldn’t go all the way to say that you should decide your major based solely on interest. I think there should be a balance between interest and career aspirations. I picked actuarial science because I enjoy math, but I want to apply it to a career in the business world (rather than being a math major who simply does proofs and weird abstract problems). My opinion could be slightly biased since I’m a business major. Of course you should explore and take a few interesting classes in college, but that doesn’t mean spend your entire experience taking interesting classes that won’t get you a job in your field after college.

    Best of luck deciding on a major!

  10. Colleen Tygh says:

    I think it’s really important to major in something that you love, not something that will make you a lot of money when you graduate. If you major in something that isn’t typically helpful once you look into the job market yet you are really passionate about it, everything will work out. There is a quote that says, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” So if you have a passion, pursue it. If people say you won’t be able to support yourself, they are probably wrong. If you love something, you’ll get good at it, and if you’re good at something, you will find the perfect job eventually. I love what you said about taking chances – that is what college is all about! People nowadays place too much emphasis on choosing a major early on and knowing exactly what you want your career to be, but honestly, college is one of the only opportunities we will have to explore any subject we want.

  11. Amy Norton says:

    I love this blog! I definitely think that even people who know their majors can sort of relate to what you’re saying. At least for me, I’m always thinking, “Am I going to want to spend the rest of my life doing this? How can I ensure that I get a job after I spend tens of thousands of dollars learning this stuff?” and stuff like that. I think you bring up excellent points about how this is the most freedom we’ll probably ever have so we should enjoy it.

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