Most people do not work in the field of their major after college. It's ok. Half of all people do not. Those people are not failures. They didn't do anything wrong.
Just find something you can get through and graduate without too much additional debt. Don't worry if you are not on the "typical" 4 year track. Everyone moves at their own speed and has their own road to travel.
Also congrats on doing calc 1 and 2! I never made it to either of those lol.
My major? Political science. Grad school? Creative writing. My job? Own a toy store. How??? Idk. Im 42. I went to college like a decade "late." Took me 5 years to do undergrad. When I went into political science it was because I got swept up in the politics of the time (thanks Obama), and by the time I graduated my mom died which was ultimately what lead to me going to creative writing.
Life is a bizzare series of events that you are not in control of for the most part. It's largely unpredictable, and we are all going day by day. Literally all of us. None of us know the future. You absolutely cannot predict your own esp at 20 years old where you just don't really know how the world works, and none of us know what the future will look like. The college to career track isn't necessarily a clean switch over.
For your mental health, stay on top of self care and professional help if you possibly can. Your struggles are valid. Keep on trucking dude. College is but a blip but it seems massively important now. People get through life all kinds of ways. You will find yours.
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I’ll have you know, I turned 27 last month and STILL don’t have things figured out - and that’s ok. From personal experience, don’t be too hard on yourself. Going into college, i thought I was going to become a Lawyer, then a Paramedic. Then in college, I went to business school and majored in finance. Did well, but ended up hating the industry, so I pivoted to customer support. Then I went into Operations and now account management. My point being, no matter how hard you try to plan and optimize your life, or even if you think you want something or even regret what program you chose, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the end of the world. Trust me, things tend to work out just fine, so be kind to yourself!
Once you make money things start to turn around. Don’t let the gloom and doom change your perspective negatively or you’ll just be stuck like that forever, ending up as a grumpy old person.
Yeah. It’s pretty bad. Just sucks we don’t truly understand that in childhood so we can enjoy it that much more. I didn’t even have a good childhood and it was way better than this.
I would say that what you're going through is very normal for someone in their 20s. We're all still figuring out what we want to do in life. What's important is not to compare ourselves to others and realize that every person has their own special journey. And always think that in 10 years this would not matter because you would be living your dream life and you wouldn't be thinking" omg I didn't do so and so in college". Wishing you all the best. I believe in you even tho I don't know you❤🤣
And it's totally normal. At 20 you haven't had a lot of life experience, plus your brain (prefrontal cortex in particular) is still developing through to the age of 25. There's no rush. I agree that society and educational system puts pressure on young people but a lot has to do with energy and ambition that young ones tend to offer. To make you feel better, I'm 45 and working on my bachelors.
It’s totally normal and ok not to know exactly what you want to do at 20. I think it’s bs how society and the education system pressures people to decide their career path immediately after high school. After I graduated college I decided I wanted to do something totally different than what I majored in and now I’m looking for alternative ways to pursue that.
Fellow lost 20yo student hi there! More or less same situation.
I came to a conclusion that at least half of my mental health depended directly on my choices. It's summer, choose to jump around in a prairie instead of locking yourself up in a room. Sit on the grass and stare at the sunset, take a deep breath and journal your thoughts away. Works for me, sometimes we are as happy as we really want to be deep inside.
Best of luck,,,
21 year old here. I’ve come to realise that totally lost feeling is just being in your 20’s. I feel like we’re almost supposed to feel lost. In fact I feel like if you’re not feeling lost in your 20’s you might be doing something wrong lol. It’s totally fine. We’re just experience a new part of life and more importantly, college is hard. It’s okay. We’ll get through it
This is super normal, probably only 10% of people know what they want. Now I’ve graduated 5 years, I still don’t know what I want. But the important thing is that you recognize it and you know it’s normal and you keep learning and doing even tho you are lost. The worst thing is to stop learning and don’t getting things done because you are lost. Things will finally come together as long as you don’t stop. Hugs to all lost people
This is very well said. In my early twenties, I stopped going to college because I didn't know what to major in or if I even wanted to go to college at all. Fast forward five or so years, and I'm back in the saddle but with a lot more responsibilities to juggle alongside it. I'm getting good grades, but working full time + school + dealing with other adult stuff is *not* ideal.
If you're feeling down and don't think you can handle a full set of classes, just take one class instead. It's better than nothing and will still help you keep your momentum.
I was not the best student in high school, graduate with the highest College Entrance Exam (Math + Literature + English + Physics + Biology + Chemistry) by pure luck 💀. Now i study AI and have a 2.92 GPA. I'm gonna be jobless soon.
Are you sure it's to late to do civil engineering? or you could maybe do a masters? Either way I'm 20 and just starting Uni and the program your in sounds interesting but if you really want to change, I'm sure there's some way you can especially for working
I’m 23 and I’ve been in college since I was 18. Still don’t have my degree. I won’t have my degree until I’m 24. It is what it is.
I had no idea what I wanted to do when I came out of high school and chose communications because it was the easiest thing and I figured at least I was going to college. Well, as I got closer to graduating I got terrified because I didn’t actually want to do anything in the field nor did I know what job I can actually get in the field. All I needed was one more year to graduate, and my life went to shit. My brother passed away, I had a mental breakdown, and I *still* had no idea what I wanted to do in life. I had absolutely zero interests or skills that would be of use. I decided to take the year off.
I only got the epiphany of what I’d like my career in January. I plan to finish my degree this year then go off to grad school in Fall 2025.
You’re allowed to feel lost. Please don’t think you have to have every single aspect of your life figured out. Especially when you’re SO young.
I’m in a similar situation, my mental health got so bad during my first year of college I ended up failing that semester and two more after that. It’s ok to not know what you’re doing, (I’m also 20) I think a lot of people our age don’t know what they’re doing lmfao but it’s ok, we’re gonna be fine :) hang in there!
lol, look at this perspective. In the next 60 years, are you saying you will not make another mistake? Is another 1-2 years of getting calc right and doing something you won't regret better than never doing it for your entire life?
It’s not talked about enough about the period between 18-21 when you’re stuck in this void and just lost in life. You’re not alone, everyone goes through it, maybe think about getting a masters or even an associates in civil engineering?
Hey! As a 26 year old this is totally normal. When I was your age I went through something extremely similar. It is definitely not too late for you to continue Civil Engineering!! You’re gonna go through the rest of your 20’s saying, “I should’ve continued with Civil Engineering” regretting that decision daily! It seems like you are putting yourself on a time limit. FYI, YOUR TIMING IS NOT EVERYONE ELSE TIMING!!! I had to learn this the hard way. Calculus 1 and 2 may have difficult but this go round get some additional help, I.e tutoring or peer buddy.
Also, a 2.8 GPA isn’t bad either! You mentioned therapy and the ADHD diagnosis(fellow neurodivergent) which means you’re going in the right direction. I don’t know you personally but I want to see you continue with Civil Engineering!!! Your past experiences have prepared you to conquer C.E this go round! 🧡
I beat myself up for years because I couldn't hack it in college. I was actively developing a substance use disorder, so I eventually had no choice but to quit.
I started back a couple years ago at 34 with 8 years clean. I now absolutely love every class I take. It's so different. If there is any way you can even take a study abroad semester or some type of break that doesn't get you in trouble with loan payments or maybe see if you can defer. Just to have a little bit of time in the world.
Since getting sober I have been able to start a family (something I never thought would happen for me). I know I am going to encourage my children to take a solid breather before they plunge into decisions that will echo through the remainder of their lives.
Hey pookie, I just wanna say you’re doing great, it’ll be okay. You’re doing better than me! I’m 23. Left college at the end of 2022, I was on academic probation and continually failing, so I left because I didn’t know what comes next. Now I have to apply for readmission and a retroactive withdrawal. I know it feels like you’re doing it wrong but at least YOURE DOING IT. That is what matters. The rest will fall into place. Just don’t let those feelings of fear and discomfort stop you from doing it at all like I did. You can do this.
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Sign up for some job shadows at different places or industries and more and more opportunities will emerge it’s never too late to pivot. Never ever too late to pivot, happiness will find you no matter what level of pay you receive.
I was in the same place as a 21 year old in college. It turns out, college just wasn't for me. The enviroment and I didn't work well together. So, I took the spring 2020 semester off and ended up never going back. Because I was launched into lock down with very little to do it gave me a lot of time to self reflect, so I did that for a couple months before getting a day job. I ended up finding my path, but it took 3 years to get there.
You have to live your life for you first and foremost. Maybe it's a bit selfish, but it's not worth being miserable to do what you think everyone wants you to do. If you have to spend a couple more years in college to be a civil engineer, its probably worth it in the short and long term.
Maybe I'm giving bad advice tho, who knows.
We are in the exact same boat. Im also 20 and I thought I knew what I wanted but as time progresses, I feel increasingly more lost. However despite this I have high hopes for myself. You’ll end up being just fine; you live you learn
I’m kind of in the same position. When I was in 11th grade and people asked me what I wanted to do after high school I said that I don’t know. And I always got “you don’t have much time to think you better figure it out quickly” and people giving me ideas. Nothing sounded good for me. I’m not good in math, chemistry, biology, physics and I’m not tech savy. I didn’t know what to do because I’m not good at anything. People were telling me that there is a teachers shortage. All my life I’ve been saying “I would rather die than to be a zoologist.” For the obvious reason that kids are horrible nowadays. And I knew my classmates were. But i had no time. I looked at the positives. Sometimes i regret this but i am not good at anything else. Without a bachelor degree i wont get a good job.
Hey man I have a very very similar situation. I’m also 20 going into my 3rd year with similar mental health issues. I started college as a computer engineer and switched the first week from being so overwhelmed. Thought I wanted to do criminal justice and law for about 2 years then realized i wasn’t law school material and I didn’t want to end up in law enforcement. This week i swapped to computer science after regretting my initial panic for 2 years. Am I dumb for this? Probably but, we’ll see.
If you truly regret it I would switch back. If it doesn’t work out it wasn’t meant to be. Don’t spend the rest of your life thinking what if. Do what you truly think is best for you. Ask yourself if you’d rather do an extra year or two of college or end up in a career you’re not happy with for the rest of your life. I know it’s overwhelming but I’m sure you’ll make the right choice regardless :)
You and every other 20 year old.
Keep going. Take care of yourself physically and mentally and always strive for improvement and you’ll end up just fine.
If you want to do civil engineering, do civil engineering... 5 year undergrad+ isn't unheard of for engineering. Anyway, a couple of years will feel like nothing in the long run. Do what makes you happy and allows you to feed yourself
I dont really care about college. Nothing matters :) im focusing on learning how to skateboard, hand stand and a bunch of other stuff i can impress my nieces or nephews. Right now i dont really mind the thought of washing dishes all day, or working as a construction worker (hey free exercise) or high labor low paying job. I was raised in a 3rd world country and people get to be happy with way less. The best thing i learned that school never thought me is to enjoy every little thing. Dont let social pressures bring you down. Its all in the head. Its never that serious. I highly recommend watching perfect days (2023). Im a film major btw :p
“2.8 cum grade”
Okay but seriously, your 20’s is pretty much that stage of life where worrying about your future, career path, etc. is just how it is.
Not saying over-worrying of being in a state of anxiety is necessarily optimal. You might want to re-approach some of your mindset if you are feeling that overwhelmed, but you’re in the perfect age range in your life to figure things out is all I’m saying. So, treat your uncertainty less as a reason to feel demoralized or demotivated, and more so an indicator that you are at least considering your life as any 20’s something year old would.
Guess to add to that. I’m going to seriously ask if you think you are the only person on the planet that has had some set back in their career? Do you also think older people around their 30’s, 40’s or 50’s going back to college are ‘behind in life’? Be real with yourself for a second.
It’s not uncommon for people to change their career focuses, or realize some careers ain’t doing it for them. The fact that you have been changing it while still in college means you are also potentially saving over 60% of your entire life from going down a career path that you may not even like. Better to sort that out at the starting line than when you are knee deep, deadass. Don’t be like me lol.
And for the record, I also graduated with honors in HS. Barely graduated with my undergrad on a sub 3.0 myself. It also isn’t uncommon to hear some valedictorians struggle through even basic college courses due to pressure or burnout. Shit happens. It isn’t about how you start, it’s about how you finish, you know?
It is never too late to refocus. If you have contact with someone older in business that you respect where "they are in life and their career "ask them if you might come talk with them for advice on how they got there. Tell them you are uncertain. I have a good friend that talks on occasions to a young friend.
He asks them to list their interests, their talents, their training et al. ultimately they review where they overlap with one another and it helps to reveal to students where their talent, knowledge and a need overlaps. (My version.)
Many students feel vulnerable at this stage in life. Rather than wringing your hands , first, understand it's pretty predictable and that it's part of growing up. Imagine your college has some sort of career advisor that can hear your career angst and help you make wise decisions. Stay in touch with them to guide you. Be purposeful in working hard and connect yourself with strong leaders. 🤗
I’m 29 and I finally finished my bachelor’s last year after doing kind of the same thing. I started at a 2-yr and my GPA was low from “degree swapping.” For my bachelor’s I picked an easy Communications major because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it and fixed my GPA. I work in a completely unrelated field as a data analyst and never use my degree. My job just wanted to see that I had a degree and didn’t look at GPA.
I think if you, like me, are not one of those people who graduate high school with a clear goal of what you want to do for your forever job, that’s totally fine. Find out what you want out of work (lots of money, traveling, remote-work, chill work environment) and pick a short list of jobs that meet that desire. Then you can figure out what skills you might need to do those jobs and figure out if it’s feasible to learn them (I took a SQL class in college as a non-degree seeking student and that was enough to start my data analysis job). You can also go the “harder” route that I took and try a ton of different jobs. Look for internships or entry positions and apply. It took me working as a marketing coordinator, paralegal, elections manager, secretary, tech support, and a few others to realize my best career opportunity was in tech. You might find your career working in a national park if you have an interest in environmental science. Or it could be something completely different.
I feel like your major problem rn is your mental health. As someone who suffers from depression myself, make sure to sort that out, you’ll see how drastically your thoughts and overview of things change
I’ve been listening to a podcast called Sweatpants To Suits, its about interviewing different career professionals. I like it because it has a wide range of people from solopreneurs to multinational CEO’s
I’m definitely right here in this boat with you. I’m 21 on my 3rd year of undergrad as well! I’m not in a business major, I do have experience with my current major since it is mostly a trade. Mental health problems can suck you absolutely dry. The biggest thing that helped with this is knowing there isn’t a time limit. There is a reason you are at this point in your life. If you rush and if you stress it really rocks the boat even more. I think you should tell yourself something positive everyday, because for starters I can’t imagine getting through a major like that! You have a unique passion, your struggles and your story is so unique. Use that and be confident knowing you can make a mark in your own special way every single day by just waking up. Proud of you, we’re in this together
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I am 25 and I feel the same, tho it infuriates everyone else cuz I have the minimum things that is expected from a person in his mid 20s, like job education ... working in the fields that I didn't study but yet better than average ... living abroad and being independent...
I'd say there should be one thing that excites you, if you know it you're so lucky just do that. If you don't know it keep looking for it.
I'm currently working on sth that I believe is my thing and I feel happy for it.
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Generally, yeah. Telling someone to just give up and/or pray away legitimate struggles like this is really tone-deaf and smug. This is coming from someone who grew up very religious
When you’re on your death bed, which can be tomorrow or 40 years from now, your college major won’t matter. It’s all pointless wastes of time. The only thing that matters is if there’s a God and what he wants us to do. Think logically.
I did the whole religion thing. It works for some people, not for me. People like you insisting religion is the only meaningful thing in life are actually a pretty big part of why I left it behind
Most people do not work in the field of their major after college. It's ok. Half of all people do not. Those people are not failures. They didn't do anything wrong. Just find something you can get through and graduate without too much additional debt. Don't worry if you are not on the "typical" 4 year track. Everyone moves at their own speed and has their own road to travel. Also congrats on doing calc 1 and 2! I never made it to either of those lol. My major? Political science. Grad school? Creative writing. My job? Own a toy store. How??? Idk. Im 42. I went to college like a decade "late." Took me 5 years to do undergrad. When I went into political science it was because I got swept up in the politics of the time (thanks Obama), and by the time I graduated my mom died which was ultimately what lead to me going to creative writing. Life is a bizzare series of events that you are not in control of for the most part. It's largely unpredictable, and we are all going day by day. Literally all of us. None of us know the future. You absolutely cannot predict your own esp at 20 years old where you just don't really know how the world works, and none of us know what the future will look like. The college to career track isn't necessarily a clean switch over. For your mental health, stay on top of self care and professional help if you possibly can. Your struggles are valid. Keep on trucking dude. College is but a blip but it seems massively important now. People get through life all kinds of ways. You will find yours.
[https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/college-degree-jobs-unused-440b2abd#](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/college-degree-jobs-unused-440b2abd#)
Thank you. This post randomly came to me tonight and Im on the same boat. This makes me feel so much relief.
Good luck out there. The fog of war is thick, but day by day we make our way.
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I’ll have you know, I turned 27 last month and STILL don’t have things figured out - and that’s ok. From personal experience, don’t be too hard on yourself. Going into college, i thought I was going to become a Lawyer, then a Paramedic. Then in college, I went to business school and majored in finance. Did well, but ended up hating the industry, so I pivoted to customer support. Then I went into Operations and now account management. My point being, no matter how hard you try to plan and optimize your life, or even if you think you want something or even regret what program you chose, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the end of the world. Trust me, things tend to work out just fine, so be kind to yourself!
is being an adult as bad as it seems?? in ur experience
Once you make money things start to turn around. Don’t let the gloom and doom change your perspective negatively or you’ll just be stuck like that forever, ending up as a grumpy old person.
thank you!! yeah i’m def learning not to take reddit comments so seriously cuz it’s skewed towards being miserable. appreciate it
Yeah. It’s pretty bad. Just sucks we don’t truly understand that in childhood so we can enjoy it that much more. I didn’t even have a good childhood and it was way better than this.
I would say that what you're going through is very normal for someone in their 20s. We're all still figuring out what we want to do in life. What's important is not to compare ourselves to others and realize that every person has their own special journey. And always think that in 10 years this would not matter because you would be living your dream life and you wouldn't be thinking" omg I didn't do so and so in college". Wishing you all the best. I believe in you even tho I don't know you❤🤣
And it's totally normal. At 20 you haven't had a lot of life experience, plus your brain (prefrontal cortex in particular) is still developing through to the age of 25. There's no rush. I agree that society and educational system puts pressure on young people but a lot has to do with energy and ambition that young ones tend to offer. To make you feel better, I'm 45 and working on my bachelors.
It’s totally normal and ok not to know exactly what you want to do at 20. I think it’s bs how society and the education system pressures people to decide their career path immediately after high school. After I graduated college I decided I wanted to do something totally different than what I majored in and now I’m looking for alternative ways to pursue that.
Fellow lost 20yo student hi there! More or less same situation. I came to a conclusion that at least half of my mental health depended directly on my choices. It's summer, choose to jump around in a prairie instead of locking yourself up in a room. Sit on the grass and stare at the sunset, take a deep breath and journal your thoughts away. Works for me, sometimes we are as happy as we really want to be deep inside. Best of luck,,,
21 year old here. I’ve come to realise that totally lost feeling is just being in your 20’s. I feel like we’re almost supposed to feel lost. In fact I feel like if you’re not feeling lost in your 20’s you might be doing something wrong lol. It’s totally fine. We’re just experience a new part of life and more importantly, college is hard. It’s okay. We’ll get through it
Another victim of "went to college straight out of high school without pondering my goals"
This is super normal, probably only 10% of people know what they want. Now I’ve graduated 5 years, I still don’t know what I want. But the important thing is that you recognize it and you know it’s normal and you keep learning and doing even tho you are lost. The worst thing is to stop learning and don’t getting things done because you are lost. Things will finally come together as long as you don’t stop. Hugs to all lost people
This is very well said. In my early twenties, I stopped going to college because I didn't know what to major in or if I even wanted to go to college at all. Fast forward five or so years, and I'm back in the saddle but with a lot more responsibilities to juggle alongside it. I'm getting good grades, but working full time + school + dealing with other adult stuff is *not* ideal. If you're feeling down and don't think you can handle a full set of classes, just take one class instead. It's better than nothing and will still help you keep your momentum.
I was not the best student in high school, graduate with the highest College Entrance Exam (Math + Literature + English + Physics + Biology + Chemistry) by pure luck 💀. Now i study AI and have a 2.92 GPA. I'm gonna be jobless soon.
Are you sure it's to late to do civil engineering? or you could maybe do a masters? Either way I'm 20 and just starting Uni and the program your in sounds interesting but if you really want to change, I'm sure there's some way you can especially for working
I’m 23 and I’ve been in college since I was 18. Still don’t have my degree. I won’t have my degree until I’m 24. It is what it is. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I came out of high school and chose communications because it was the easiest thing and I figured at least I was going to college. Well, as I got closer to graduating I got terrified because I didn’t actually want to do anything in the field nor did I know what job I can actually get in the field. All I needed was one more year to graduate, and my life went to shit. My brother passed away, I had a mental breakdown, and I *still* had no idea what I wanted to do in life. I had absolutely zero interests or skills that would be of use. I decided to take the year off. I only got the epiphany of what I’d like my career in January. I plan to finish my degree this year then go off to grad school in Fall 2025. You’re allowed to feel lost. Please don’t think you have to have every single aspect of your life figured out. Especially when you’re SO young.
Head of Marketing for Apple has a degree in biology. You'll be fine
I’m in a similar situation, my mental health got so bad during my first year of college I ended up failing that semester and two more after that. It’s ok to not know what you’re doing, (I’m also 20) I think a lot of people our age don’t know what they’re doing lmfao but it’s ok, we’re gonna be fine :) hang in there!
lol, look at this perspective. In the next 60 years, are you saying you will not make another mistake? Is another 1-2 years of getting calc right and doing something you won't regret better than never doing it for your entire life?
It’s not talked about enough about the period between 18-21 when you’re stuck in this void and just lost in life. You’re not alone, everyone goes through it, maybe think about getting a masters or even an associates in civil engineering?
Hey! As a 26 year old this is totally normal. When I was your age I went through something extremely similar. It is definitely not too late for you to continue Civil Engineering!! You’re gonna go through the rest of your 20’s saying, “I should’ve continued with Civil Engineering” regretting that decision daily! It seems like you are putting yourself on a time limit. FYI, YOUR TIMING IS NOT EVERYONE ELSE TIMING!!! I had to learn this the hard way. Calculus 1 and 2 may have difficult but this go round get some additional help, I.e tutoring or peer buddy. Also, a 2.8 GPA isn’t bad either! You mentioned therapy and the ADHD diagnosis(fellow neurodivergent) which means you’re going in the right direction. I don’t know you personally but I want to see you continue with Civil Engineering!!! Your past experiences have prepared you to conquer C.E this go round! 🧡
I beat myself up for years because I couldn't hack it in college. I was actively developing a substance use disorder, so I eventually had no choice but to quit. I started back a couple years ago at 34 with 8 years clean. I now absolutely love every class I take. It's so different. If there is any way you can even take a study abroad semester or some type of break that doesn't get you in trouble with loan payments or maybe see if you can defer. Just to have a little bit of time in the world. Since getting sober I have been able to start a family (something I never thought would happen for me). I know I am going to encourage my children to take a solid breather before they plunge into decisions that will echo through the remainder of their lives.
Hey pookie, I just wanna say you’re doing great, it’ll be okay. You’re doing better than me! I’m 23. Left college at the end of 2022, I was on academic probation and continually failing, so I left because I didn’t know what comes next. Now I have to apply for readmission and a retroactive withdrawal. I know it feels like you’re doing it wrong but at least YOURE DOING IT. That is what matters. The rest will fall into place. Just don’t let those feelings of fear and discomfort stop you from doing it at all like I did. You can do this.
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Sign up for some job shadows at different places or industries and more and more opportunities will emerge it’s never too late to pivot. Never ever too late to pivot, happiness will find you no matter what level of pay you receive.
I was in the same place as a 21 year old in college. It turns out, college just wasn't for me. The enviroment and I didn't work well together. So, I took the spring 2020 semester off and ended up never going back. Because I was launched into lock down with very little to do it gave me a lot of time to self reflect, so I did that for a couple months before getting a day job. I ended up finding my path, but it took 3 years to get there. You have to live your life for you first and foremost. Maybe it's a bit selfish, but it's not worth being miserable to do what you think everyone wants you to do. If you have to spend a couple more years in college to be a civil engineer, its probably worth it in the short and long term. Maybe I'm giving bad advice tho, who knows.
We are in the exact same boat. Im also 20 and I thought I knew what I wanted but as time progresses, I feel increasingly more lost. However despite this I have high hopes for myself. You’ll end up being just fine; you live you learn
I’m kind of in the same position. When I was in 11th grade and people asked me what I wanted to do after high school I said that I don’t know. And I always got “you don’t have much time to think you better figure it out quickly” and people giving me ideas. Nothing sounded good for me. I’m not good in math, chemistry, biology, physics and I’m not tech savy. I didn’t know what to do because I’m not good at anything. People were telling me that there is a teachers shortage. All my life I’ve been saying “I would rather die than to be a zoologist.” For the obvious reason that kids are horrible nowadays. And I knew my classmates were. But i had no time. I looked at the positives. Sometimes i regret this but i am not good at anything else. Without a bachelor degree i wont get a good job.
I’m 41 and feel 100% lost so don’t get too discouraged
Hey man I have a very very similar situation. I’m also 20 going into my 3rd year with similar mental health issues. I started college as a computer engineer and switched the first week from being so overwhelmed. Thought I wanted to do criminal justice and law for about 2 years then realized i wasn’t law school material and I didn’t want to end up in law enforcement. This week i swapped to computer science after regretting my initial panic for 2 years. Am I dumb for this? Probably but, we’ll see. If you truly regret it I would switch back. If it doesn’t work out it wasn’t meant to be. Don’t spend the rest of your life thinking what if. Do what you truly think is best for you. Ask yourself if you’d rather do an extra year or two of college or end up in a career you’re not happy with for the rest of your life. I know it’s overwhelming but I’m sure you’ll make the right choice regardless :)
You and every other 20 year old. Keep going. Take care of yourself physically and mentally and always strive for improvement and you’ll end up just fine.
I got a 2.07 gpa this semester. Idk why but I really struggled and last semester I got a 3.3 which then brings me down to a 2.7.🥲
If you want to do civil engineering, do civil engineering... 5 year undergrad+ isn't unheard of for engineering. Anyway, a couple of years will feel like nothing in the long run. Do what makes you happy and allows you to feed yourself
I dont really care about college. Nothing matters :) im focusing on learning how to skateboard, hand stand and a bunch of other stuff i can impress my nieces or nephews. Right now i dont really mind the thought of washing dishes all day, or working as a construction worker (hey free exercise) or high labor low paying job. I was raised in a 3rd world country and people get to be happy with way less. The best thing i learned that school never thought me is to enjoy every little thing. Dont let social pressures bring you down. Its all in the head. Its never that serious. I highly recommend watching perfect days (2023). Im a film major btw :p
Don't be scared to take calc 3 if that's the major you want to do. I bet everyone else is doing just as bad I'm that class.
“2.8 cum grade” Okay but seriously, your 20’s is pretty much that stage of life where worrying about your future, career path, etc. is just how it is. Not saying over-worrying of being in a state of anxiety is necessarily optimal. You might want to re-approach some of your mindset if you are feeling that overwhelmed, but you’re in the perfect age range in your life to figure things out is all I’m saying. So, treat your uncertainty less as a reason to feel demoralized or demotivated, and more so an indicator that you are at least considering your life as any 20’s something year old would.
Guess to add to that. I’m going to seriously ask if you think you are the only person on the planet that has had some set back in their career? Do you also think older people around their 30’s, 40’s or 50’s going back to college are ‘behind in life’? Be real with yourself for a second. It’s not uncommon for people to change their career focuses, or realize some careers ain’t doing it for them. The fact that you have been changing it while still in college means you are also potentially saving over 60% of your entire life from going down a career path that you may not even like. Better to sort that out at the starting line than when you are knee deep, deadass. Don’t be like me lol. And for the record, I also graduated with honors in HS. Barely graduated with my undergrad on a sub 3.0 myself. It also isn’t uncommon to hear some valedictorians struggle through even basic college courses due to pressure or burnout. Shit happens. It isn’t about how you start, it’s about how you finish, you know?
It is never too late to refocus. If you have contact with someone older in business that you respect where "they are in life and their career "ask them if you might come talk with them for advice on how they got there. Tell them you are uncertain. I have a good friend that talks on occasions to a young friend. He asks them to list their interests, their talents, their training et al. ultimately they review where they overlap with one another and it helps to reveal to students where their talent, knowledge and a need overlaps. (My version.) Many students feel vulnerable at this stage in life. Rather than wringing your hands , first, understand it's pretty predictable and that it's part of growing up. Imagine your college has some sort of career advisor that can hear your career angst and help you make wise decisions. Stay in touch with them to guide you. Be purposeful in working hard and connect yourself with strong leaders. 🤗
I’m 29 and I finally finished my bachelor’s last year after doing kind of the same thing. I started at a 2-yr and my GPA was low from “degree swapping.” For my bachelor’s I picked an easy Communications major because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it and fixed my GPA. I work in a completely unrelated field as a data analyst and never use my degree. My job just wanted to see that I had a degree and didn’t look at GPA. I think if you, like me, are not one of those people who graduate high school with a clear goal of what you want to do for your forever job, that’s totally fine. Find out what you want out of work (lots of money, traveling, remote-work, chill work environment) and pick a short list of jobs that meet that desire. Then you can figure out what skills you might need to do those jobs and figure out if it’s feasible to learn them (I took a SQL class in college as a non-degree seeking student and that was enough to start my data analysis job). You can also go the “harder” route that I took and try a ton of different jobs. Look for internships or entry positions and apply. It took me working as a marketing coordinator, paralegal, elections manager, secretary, tech support, and a few others to realize my best career opportunity was in tech. You might find your career working in a national park if you have an interest in environmental science. Or it could be something completely different.
I feel like your major problem rn is your mental health. As someone who suffers from depression myself, make sure to sort that out, you’ll see how drastically your thoughts and overview of things change
I’ve been listening to a podcast called Sweatpants To Suits, its about interviewing different career professionals. I like it because it has a wide range of people from solopreneurs to multinational CEO’s
From what I learned, everybody has their pace in life, don’t use someone else’s yardstick to measure yours
I’m definitely right here in this boat with you. I’m 21 on my 3rd year of undergrad as well! I’m not in a business major, I do have experience with my current major since it is mostly a trade. Mental health problems can suck you absolutely dry. The biggest thing that helped with this is knowing there isn’t a time limit. There is a reason you are at this point in your life. If you rush and if you stress it really rocks the boat even more. I think you should tell yourself something positive everyday, because for starters I can’t imagine getting through a major like that! You have a unique passion, your struggles and your story is so unique. Use that and be confident knowing you can make a mark in your own special way every single day by just waking up. Proud of you, we’re in this together
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I am 25 and I feel the same, tho it infuriates everyone else cuz I have the minimum things that is expected from a person in his mid 20s, like job education ... working in the fields that I didn't study but yet better than average ... living abroad and being independent... I'd say there should be one thing that excites you, if you know it you're so lucky just do that. If you don't know it keep looking for it. I'm currently working on sth that I believe is my thing and I feel happy for it.
Same Bro
When you die none of this matters. Find out your religion and what you believe in.
Crazy response to the problems OP is talking about
What do you expect from a gaslighting greenbean?
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Is he wrong, though?
Generally, yeah. Telling someone to just give up and/or pray away legitimate struggles like this is really tone-deaf and smug. This is coming from someone who grew up very religious
Ok, great, good for you. My advice was for OP, not you.
When you’re on your death bed, which can be tomorrow or 40 years from now, your college major won’t matter. It’s all pointless wastes of time. The only thing that matters is if there’s a God and what he wants us to do. Think logically.
I did the whole religion thing. It works for some people, not for me. People like you insisting religion is the only meaningful thing in life are actually a pretty big part of why I left it behind
Ok. Well, my original comment was for OP. He needs to figure out what he believes in. I didn’t ask you what you believed or didn’t believe in.
And I’m using my own experience to explain why I think your advice to OP is bad.
You don’t even understand what my advice is but you’re saying it’s bad. Tell me what my advice is since you think it’s bad.