“Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 5.16
Most of my students are unsure as to what they want to study in college. This intricate labyrinth of doubt can have a solution. There are helpful tips to start paving your way towards a successful future. We can think of this in very simple terms. For example, how can we know what our favorite type of ice cream is? We need to try different flavors first and then decide. Right? Well, the same scenario can be applied to our choice of career. If we have not tried working in a specific field, how are we supposed to determine if we like it or not?
The most pressing question to answer is to analyze our strengths. Some of us are creative and know how to draw superbly; some of us are math wizzes and can calculate complex mathematical problems in a couple of minutes; some of us are good at writing; some of us are dancers; some of us have the power to convince others of our ideas. Having analyzed our strengths, we can start looking for careers that will help these characteristics flourish.
Once we have determined this, we can start by looking for internships during the summer. This way, we can have an idea if we would enjoy working in an architectural firm, a bank, a local newspaper, a dance studio, or the United Nations. Students can also look into the possibility of attending a summer intensive program in a career that they are interested in, in order to experience what it would be like to study such a career in college. These experiences, in the professional or academic field, will help us immensely in determining the career path we want to pursue in college. Needless to say, if we start thinking about this early during our high school career, we will have time to engage in different experiences.
How do we adapt to the present moment? Conduct research on different places you would like to work in. Contact them, ask if you can help in any way; let them know you would like to be part of their team. Maybe there is online help you can provide, like drafting future plans, or aiding in online sales . . . Also, check out different college websites. You would be amazed at the great opportunities they are offering during the summer in online courses!