Because no one actually has it figured out. Students head off to college with the intention of studying to build a career. Some enroll with a dream job in mind, while others are not quite sure where their passion lies. And that’s exactly what college is - an academic environment that allows students to explore their interests and recognize their strengths. So, whether or not you’re sure what professional field you want to be in, don’t panic, and enjoy your time in college! Take it from these students at Princeton, UC Berkeley, University of Maryland, Columbia and Brown:
annajustine19: I haven’t really decided what I’ll do after college - that part of my life, after all, is still three years away. I do have a couple of tentative ideas: I might go do a Masters Degree at Oxford, where my boyfriend will be finishing up his own degree, or I might join Teach for America to see if teaching is the right path of me. I will graduate college with a lifetime certification to teach almost anywhere in the USA, so maybe I’ll find an inner-city school and jump into the classroom straight away to get some experience there. I also love to write, and I might feel, after four years at college, that I need to take some time for myself and focus on my writing; maybe I’ll try to get an internship with a publishing house in New York or London.
AndyDC (UC Berkley ‘19): After obtaining my degree, I hope to subsequently pursue a career in electrical engineering and make significant contributions to the industry. Electrical components and software are rapidly modified, invented and reinvented every day, so there will always be something new to learn. Designing these systems for spacecraft would be my dream job, as I want a career that is both fulfilling and challenging.
Publicivy: I hope to go into either environmental law, environmental policy, government, or foreign service. My ideal career would combine these interests: an international environmental policy consultant, or something of the like! I definitely plan to attend graduate school or law school, depending on where my interests lead. I hope to get an internship in Washington, DC at the EPA or another federal environmental group, which would allow to more easily pursue a career in the environmental policy field.
CogsOfSteel (UC Berkeley ‘19): Don’t feel pressured to think about what you will do post-college without even being in college yet. Try out many different things in college itself and figure out whether you’d want to pursue a Master’s or PhD, enter industry directly, build a start-up, and so forth. Personally, I would like to be in the IT and technology field, and am interested in building a start-up with my friends from college. But who knows! Further education or a job at a preexisting firm is still very much on the table.
g.reynoso.95: I’m keeping my options open. I’m a person that doesn’t function off of rigid plans for myself, and I’m comfortable with that. Currently, I’m a psychology and sociology double major. I’m thinking of exploring a career in law and/or social work. I have a strong passion for helping others, social justice, and community impact. I want to delve right into the work force and make a difference. I’m currently contemplating a degree in social work (an MSW), a law degree (depending on my GPA and LSAT of course!) or possibly a joint degree between the two. For the moment, I’m taking a lot of sociology and law classes in addition to my psychology coursework. I plan to take on internships that are more closely geared toward law and social justice to give myself a better idea of what I might want to focus in.
The funniest part about all of this was that I entered my university thinking I was going to major in English and go on to be a journalist. Clearly, my interests have shifted a bit! But I like to think that this is a good example of what college is like. I’m not 100% clear on what I want to do after college. And that’s okay! No one expects you to have your future mapped out perfectly, and oftentimes it’s best to explore and learn as much as you can in college and use those experiences in order to help you figure out what you’re passionate about.
myron.lam (Brown ‘15) I was awarded a $50,000 fellowship from Brown that will allow me to work on my own social enterprise venture for a year post-graduation. This fellowship is out of the Swearer Center for Public Service. My social venture started as a research project that was funded by Brown’s Royce Fellowship and Social Innovation Fellowship, two initiatives awarded for projects over the summer break. I really enjoyed being a part of these amazing communities and learning about the cool things my fellow students are up to.
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