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-   -   How do you figure out what to do with your life? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=132998)

  • Sep 23, 2007, 08:03 PM
    mwilliams15
    How do you figure out what to do with your life?
    [F]
    I know this is such a typical, over-used question. How do you figure out what to do with your life..
    I grew up in a home in which neither of my parents went to college. My mom supported my sister and I, and times were very rough. If you don't get a college degree you pretty much live off nothing these days. So I now find myself in the position of being the first person in my family to go to college. Everyone is so proud of me and they all have so much faith in me being able to have a great life. It's more complicated than that, though. I've had my life planned out since I was young. I knew I wanted to become a doctor of some-sort. Sometime in high school I debated between pediatrics and becoming a dermatologist. I came to the conclusion that I would really enjoy being a dermatologist. My first year of college went pretty good. Now I am in my second year of college and the curriculum is getting much harder and it is very discouraging. Im taking anatomy and chemistry and Im starting to feel overwhelmed. All this pressure to make good grades is really getting to me. Its like I can't do anything right.. my grades aren't very good right now.. there's plenty of time to pull them up, but I feel like I have some sort of mentality block. My future isn't so clear anymore. For the first time in my life I thought, do I really want to be a doctor? Whose to say I will even get in med school. I just feel lost, I don't know how to study anymore, I don't know who to turn to, its just a confusing mess in my mind and I don't know what to do. Im not asking anyone to tell me what to do, I'm just asking for anyone's advice who has dealt with these discouraging feelings. Any encouraging thoughts would be amazingly appreciated.
  • Sep 23, 2007, 08:10 PM
    CaptainRich
    You've hit a few of lifes stumbling blocks and you're taking it to heart. My guess is you've already made the tough decision and now you have to make an even tougher commitment.

    Nobody can tell you that you will or that you won't get into med school. But without being resilient and reforging your drive, there's less of a chance.

    I'd encourage you to get back in the saddle!
  • Sep 23, 2007, 08:17 PM
    GlindaofOz
    Is there a counselor you can speak to at college - academic or otherwise? They might help you figure out what else might interest you.

    As a freshman didn't you have to take a core curriculum of sorts? Did anything else strike your interest? When I went to college I wanted to become a history teacher and was convinced it was what I wanted. As I started to take classes I didn't feel good in what I was doing. In my freshman year as part of my core curriculum I took Intro to sociology and fell in love. My plan was to go to grad school and become a professor but I got burnt out. I then fell into human resources which I loved and I am now starting my own business.

    Life throws your curveballs its not always easy to plot everything out. In order to go to medical school or law school you have to have an undying passion for what you are pursuing. It's a lot of school and it will take a lot of time. If you are feeling that your heart isn't in it maybe you should take a mental step back and figure out what you really want.
  • Sep 23, 2007, 08:39 PM
    rpg219
    I would encourage you to stick with it. People often change their Major after several years, as Glinda was talking about, wich is sometimes a great choice. I got to where you are right now, and I gave up. BIG mistake! I so regret it now and will be starting all over very soon. Good luck and keep your head up.
  • Oct 7, 2007, 08:06 PM
    GeniusfromGeniusHell
    First off, get your degree no matter what. Undergrad degrees seldom determine eventual career choice. My sister got a degree in biology and eventually moved on to an MBA in finance. People with English degrees have gone to med school (rare, since a bio degree is a good foundation).

    Ok, now is the time to be honest with yourself and put aside the "you can do anything!" notion given to you in childhood. I used to want to be a marine biologist, but after a year of organic chemistry etc, I realized I just wasn't wired for it.

    Your university probably has a department for career and major counseling. Mine does. Seek it out. In the meantime, get that degree. A degree of any kind is absolutely necessary out in the job market.
  • May 17, 2009, 01:32 PM
    Maliha

    I believe your feelings are very natural, since you feel pressure because of your family and the tough situations during childhood. But life doesn't give us a chance again and again, you should be proud of yourself already that you made it till here, and backing off will only mes up your life more. If you give up now its like accepting defeat even without giving a try to the game. Have faith in yourself and your abilities, and your family will always be your support no matter how you get along in life, you'll never regret that you never gave it a try... :)) so put all your efforts leave the results in hands of God. I'm sure you can do it :)) BEST OF LUCK :))
  • Dec 26, 2009, 08:52 AM
    Adamography
    Tutoring will turn this around and put you on the dean's list. At Oxford, the students spend more on tutors than on tuition. Stop whining and do what they do, and graduate at the top of your class.
  • Jan 31, 2010, 11:23 PM
    Clough
    Just so people know who continue to post on this thread...

    It's now really old and archived and so, not generally visible unless someone happens to go to this forum topic area, or is notified because there's activity on it because the person being notified has already posted on it.

    If you have a new question or even comments that might work for starting a thread, please do start a new thread so that what you write it will get noticed and recognized as being your own, on the current, daily list.

    Thanks!

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