Still Don't Know What I Want to do With My Life

So I'm 21 years old (almost 22) and in about 5 months I will (hopefully) have completed my bachelors in psychology with a minor in biology.

While I enjoy working with people in terms of counseling or sales, I've also found that it can tire me out, especially with jobs that involve customer service (I currently work as a cashier at a retail store) to the point that I hate it. I'm not one of those people who just smiles and takes it no matter what, and I'm not sure how much counseling and customer service jobs overlap with each other in terms of dealing with other peoples BS.

So I am still on the fence. I have the minor in biology because I initially was in a pre-med program which i did horrible in (2.2 GPA) and once I realized I was never getting in to grad school, I switched to psych because I thought it was really interesting and I had some of the pre-reqs. Now I am realizing this is a near useless degree by itself also and that I will have to go on to get a masters in psych, social work, or something else. I considered marketing but then was told that is useless also. On top of that my GPA is still garbage because of my first four semesters (like 2.5-2.7) I am also just considering dual majoring in something completely different. I don't know. I'm stuck, I want to make some decent money and move out of my parents house, and I wish I had tried harder in school and put some more thought in to this before I started. I really wanted a medical profession from the beginning, but more or less I suppose I'm not smart enough to get one.

Someone please advise me haha

Thanks

Always go with what your heart wants, as long as you're dedicated enough to put the hard work in you'll be good. It's never too late!!! You're only 22, so what exactly is it that you're really, really interested in? Always start there! You say you want a medical profession, like what type?

Probably a physicians assistant or R/N. I tried to switch over to the R/N program my second semester but the chairperson said while they would have taken me as an incoming freshman, they didn't want me then since I had done so poorly my first semester. If I can get my GPA over 2.75 by the time I graduate, I may be able to go back again and see if they'll take me. That would give me an R/N, Bachelors in Psychology, and a minor in Biology. I suppose I would be qualified for a decent position by then lol and nursing/psych is a good combination.

I would also be very interested in professional or clinical counseling, especially couples counseling, but my fear is that psych degrees are getting so common anymore and with a garbage gpa like mine I could wind up doing a job someone with a high school diploma could get.

So yeah, I guess its either get the masters in social work and become an LCSW or dual major in nursing an become an R/N. The one that's more likely to get me hired and put a roof over my head is probably the one I'm gonna go with. But I'm still split. Lol. Thanks for the encouragement!

Frog, many people go to school and question or change their major. There is a difference from doing something and then being something. If there is anyway you can do an intern on a part time job in the medical field or counseling? Try to do a pt job in what interests you. You will gain first hand experience in what it entails and if you really are up to it. And ask your registrars office with a counselor these options. I hope that helps. tc

Yes that is very good advice I should job shadow both and go from there. And I need to do some more research on what jobs are available in my area. I'm almost deathly afraid of being like some of the graduates I have seen who are still delivering pizza or pushing carts at Wal-Mart (no offense to anyone, I've worked both jobs!)

Thanks

I many ways life is unfair when it comes to selecting a college major because you're really too inexperienced to make an informed decision. You are hardly the first person who has questioned their major as they wrap up their degree or who struggled early on because they selected the wrong career path when they started college.

It does seem that nursing would be a good choice for you and I hope that you pursue this goal. When applying, please stress how your grades improved once you changed majors. Also mention that you are now more experienced and better able to make a career decision. There are plenty of nursing jobs and it's an excellent career path. Go for it!

How about an EMT position, or even nursing programs. Your psych major will come in handy there too.

unguy, you are so right about it being unfair. Not only that but I think its wrong that we are promised all these wonderful job opportunities when we graduate when in reality in a lot of fields (buisness, psychology, biology/pre med,teaching, history, writing, etc etc) bachelors degrees are as good as a high school diploma when it comes to getting a job, and are really only a stepping stone towards the highly competitive and time consuming masters programs. From which then if you are lucky you could get the M-F 9-5 job that pays the bills. So you can have kids and put them through college too

Thanks for the suggestions terrilynn, I'll look in to it I honestly think maybe I should just see a career counselor or something or just have someone give me a list of options for what I can do with my current situation. I'm not looking to be rich at this point. Just need a solid career that will pay of my school debt (25-30k) and when I'm done doing that buy a house and support a family.

Dude, you are lucky you are still so young!
I have the same thing but now I'm 38. Tried diffrent things and am succesfull. But I haven't found my passion yet.

If you can do it. Go and travel the world. Go to Asia, work in diffrent countries. You still have a lot of time, please do not feel rushed. I felt rushed when I was your age. Don't.

There are a lot of options. You can go start your own business if you want to. You do not need to go into a lot of debt.

Thanks for the advice, you are definitely right about options.

Just found out I technically don't meet the requirements for a biology minor by two credits AND they still haven't approved my change of major. One semester away from graduation...

I want to apply to Penn State and see about getting in to an MBA program, but of course I first need to get my major fixed and take the required tests, GMAT I think its called??? Lol I don't even know...

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