This is what happened to me, perhaps it might help you as you decide your path....

When I was deciding about going back to school, it was really important to me to have a set path, a plan before me, and to get settled into a definite route, yet I wasn't fully sure yet what I wanted to do. However, I still had an undergraduate degree before me that was unfinished and only had a few classes left to go. It was easier for me to look to the future wanting to be there and not focus on the smaller steps which were actually what was right in front me, to start back with the classes. A guidance counselor suggested, just start back and see where it takes me. Some times once we get back into it and into a field that our remaining classes are in, helps shape the direction we want to go, instead of spending time wondering this or that.

In addition, once I started back, I began to make progress to finish the unfinished degree which in and of itself would open up possibilities of what I could do were it completed. However it had to start with getting the classes done. Small steps, then see where these took me and would help refine the path I wanted to take. It did because I had more information to base the decision on for my ultimate path than just curiosity and wondering, floating back and forth in my head, which in turn drove me nuts before starting back with classes. Taking action made all the difference and settled me into at least some path in the meantime until I could decide a better path.

The other thing I did once I started to get the ideas, like the ones you are asking, was volunteering places / job shadowing, to see what the positions were actually like that I was considering. Also, informational interviewing to specifically get to know more about the field and positions which also helped shape my path and classes towards my degree or secondary degree, if that was to be the case. I no longer had these notions of the positions in my mind of what they were like, I had concrete information to base the decision and most places are very willing to help with this. Please consider doing this as well as you move forward.

There is no way of knowing what is the right path and no one can decide that for you. We use what information we have at the time, moving forward from there, and the nice thing is, we can adjust as we go. However, ideas are not the same thing as facts. Gather your own facts about the actual positions, not what you think they might be like, then decide where to go from there. You might be surprised about what you find about the positions and discover about yourself, being empowered in the process, and feel strong with less confusion about your decision for your future. Wishing you all the best!!!!

P.s. If you'd like information on how to approach a company about job shadowing or informational interviewing, PM me.