Trying out degrees at university

[electroBeam]

Leo Gura has advised us in his video How To Find Your Passion to try out different careers, in the same way you try out different food in a buffet, to find your life purpose and interest in life. Though how easy is this to apply to tertiary education, in preparing for a career?

What guidelines are there we can take, what process can we follow, that will allows us to choose a degree at university that will target our interests, values and ultimately our life purpose?

I am currently struggling to choose a degree at university that will be beneficial for me. I know that in my country we can try 1 unit(or course if you are from the US) as an elective, per semester, and we can choose a unit from any degree. if we like the stuff in the unit, we can transfer from 1 degree to another, though this is impossible after 2 semesters, as the content learnt is too different. This means we only have 1 option in the buffet to try within a semester, before we are locked into our degree for 4 years.

 

This is problematic. Leo's buffet just isn't available in the career setting, and we are left to predict what should our life purpose be. What process should we take to choose a degree, in order for it to value our life purpose?

 

 

[Dhana Choko]

What are the options that you are currently pondering?  

[Albert Einstein]

Nobody has time to try out more than one degree...

[Leo Gura]

What are all your interests and values? Write them out. Be genuine.

[Boss]

So many worthless degrees. I recommend you read the book worthless by Aaron Clarey. Over half of college grads are working in jobs that dont require a degree. Dont be one of them. 

[electroBeam]

I will try my best to give them, not entirely sure, Interests are:

- I enjoy seeing how things works, how things fit into and with each other

- helping society, giving society a convencience or making them more happy and productive.

- integrated advanced systems, such as ecosystems, how we fit in with ecosystems, how technology does, improving those systems, making them better

- philosophy( all of it)

- autonomous systems such as robotics

- politics

- quantum physics

- inventing processes and steps

values are(apart from libertarian values, which is obviously from how I have been brought up by our education system):

- helping society as a whole integrate more smoothly and happily

- helping the environment and animals from harm and torture

- bringing peace

- being kind and peaceful to others

- (I am being very honest here) using manipulation as much as possible as long as it helps make a more caring loving society, and is within moral values that provide a sustainable model that advocates awareness(going up the clare graves model ladder).

- forming strong bonds with people, and being as caring as possible.

 

sorry for it being ambiguous and thankyou for the help. If it is too vague please let me know

[Dombey]

You have quite a list of interests going there! Have you've seen some sort of counselor who could pinpoint you in some direction? Universities also have like 1 or 2 days where you can go in and meet the teachers/professionals where you can ask questions about what you'll learn! When I was doing my A-levels, we went to a university for one day where we were able to choose 2 courses over the day. It helped getting a feeling for what university is like, what a lecture in that field was like. Can I see myself doing this every day? Do I want to take the time to learn this every day? Check out where and when you can visit a university like this, there are options out there!

I can recommend another video from College Info Geek about stoping to try to find your passion, if you want another insight. I personally feel that the "passion" finding thing is totally overdone. 

I think the point being made from the videos generally is, that passion takes work! It's through work and skill that you truly discover your passion and can fully live it because you know what it's all about!

I'd suggest you go out there, meet people in the field you're interested in (it's very science-y, I can't give any advice on that...).

Question yourself, do you really want to go to university?  You feel like you would feel "locked" in for years, that stood out to me! Is university the right thing? There are people who wouldn't feel at ease studying 5 years or more, and that's ok, there are other options out there since it'd be quite a comitment (financially for sure, though avoid student debt if you can, lots of online ressources for that, but also time...)! There are other options as well besides university, there always is.

Discover all your options, don't do university because you feel like you have to. I did 1 year something completely different before starting university! It was my no means a wasted year, since I learned what I don't want to do! This helped me motivate myself for something I wanted to do (university) and keep going when I failed one year! 

There is no such thing as being locked in! You may feel like after 1 year that the subject field isn't for you and may change! I had a teacher once who studied 1 year of medicine, realized it wasn't for him, changed to law and since then found his "passion"! You may also "fail" but realize that it's something you want to keep on learning, and redo a year but working harder to get to your goal!

Also....it's university! It's a facility where you learn! Like any new language you decide to learn, you need some basic knowledge! That's what I feel university is all about, learning. It's not your job yet. It's just like a language you learn in order to go and visit/live in a country where that language is needed! You will "lock" yourself in later in life in a field that interests you, which will require very specific skills that you can offer! By no means you lock yourself "in", in a very large and general/basic univeristy learning field!

[Guest]

@electroBeam it is amazing how many things we can feel passionate about! I have the same feeling of being excited about so many different things at once and confused about how to pick one.

Perhaps looking at free ways to learn about your areas of interest first...for example,  have you tried taking a few MOOC courses to see what really sparks your passion? or there are many you tube videos available on different subjects (perhaps watching a lot of them, not just one). I have learned that on the surface some things seem fascinating but as I learned more about them, more about what goes into a career in those fields, my perspective on the field changes. Essentially, I think the answer is that we have to put in the work, to investigate, to research, to learn and as we do, our passion blossoms! Just keep moving forward, you'll find it!

I appreciate your question, responding just helped me view my own path with more patience.  thank you!

@Dombey I enjoyed your posting!

 

Lauren  

[Leo Gura]

3 hours ago, electroBeam said:

I will try my best to give them, not entirely sure, Interests are:

- I enjoy seeing how things works, how things fit into and with each other

- helping society, giving society a convencience or making them more happy and productive.

- integrated advanced systems, such as ecosystems, how we fit in with ecosystems, how technology does, improving those systems, making them better

- philosophy( all of it)

- autonomous systems such as robotics

- politics

- quantum physics

- inventing processes and steps

values are(apart from libertarian values, which is obviously from how I have been brought up by our education system):

- helping society as a whole integrate more smoothly and happily

- helping the environment and animals from harm and torture

- bringing peace

- being kind and peaceful to others

- (I am being very honest here) using manipulation as much as possible as long as it helps make a more caring loving society, and is within moral values that provide a sustainable model that advocates awareness(going up the clare graves model ladder).

- forming strong bonds with people, and being as caring as possible.

 

sorry for it being ambiguous and thankyou for the help. If it is too vague please let me know

That's a lot of interests! Oh well... better to have too many than too few.

One thing I could suggest is to buy and read books about each one of those fields. Then see which interests still stand strong and which ones fall away. A top interest should emerge over time with further study.

If you haven't checked out my life purpose course, in the course I take you through a pretty deep process for how to drill down into your core values and eliminate dead-ends. That might save you a lot of time too. The whole point of the course is to show you how to develop a VERY strong, clear, singular direction in life.

[Azrael]

6 hours ago, electroBeam said:

What process should we take to choose a degree, in order for it to value our life purpose?

As a first step I'd encourage you to figure out your life purpose before choosing a degree. I took Leo's course and I am amazed by it's contents. Secondly then, I'd really think about studying at all.

I'm myself studying computer science and it is a very deep passion of mine. And I also see how university can help you learn stuff very deep, but I think there are a lot of degrees / skills that you could learn out of books and lot's of practice through working in your field. Be very aware of that before you actually decide to go with a plan. Also, be very aware that university will give you a very academic approach to things. If you like that - that's fine. But research how stuff is presented to you. A lot of my friends dropped out of university because it is too academic for them.

[Davidus]

Even though there're many carriers and professions to choose Self-actulization is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to pursue.

[Pavan <3]

Hi!.I'm 20 this Jan..and I've wasted last 3 years where I flunked in Engineering..which I eventually dropped out. 

I'm from India and my circles of people believe and force me to believe that a college degree is must for everyone. But as I can see..with rising competition for Jobs that barely pay the bills, I can't win that game in long run . Instead, I feel that it's a waste of 3 years,getting a degree..at least in my case. Am I being dogmatic; )??

My question is, In long term whether my degree is helpful or the skills that I can develop with in the time frame.

By the way my first priority is financial independence and respect in family. 

Please someone help::Is it really that important and mandatory that you have a university degree! !

 

Edited February 7, 2016 by Pavan <3
typo

[Zack]

1 hour ago, Lauren said:

have you tried taking a few MOOC courses to see what really sparks your passion? or there are many you tube videos available on different subjects (perhaps watching a lot of them, not just one). I have learned that on the surface some things seem fascinating but as I learned more about them, more about what goes into a career in those fields, my perspective on the field changes. Essentially, I think the answer is that we have to put in the work, to investigate, to research, to learn and as we do, our passion blossoms! Just keep moving forward, you'll find it!

That was exactly what I was going to suggest. It is amazing the amount of information and insight that one can access about each existing field through these courses.

I live in a country where you also can't "taste" multiple courses before picking one for the next years. I'm glad I took my time researching and learning enough to found what I love to do before going to college.

Most people that I know that have chosen their courses by impulse or tried to guess what they like without doing the proper research, ended up having trouble in their careers.

PS: I'm 25, my job is one of my hobbies and today financial security is far from being a concern. (:

[electroBeam]

Thankyou guys for the advice, very appreciated

[didirci]

Something I wish I would have done before choosing my degree has also been said previously, you should definitely do a lot of research about each of your interests, this should be your starting point.

I think that is equally important to know WHAT type of jobs you will have access to with your degree because if I knew where my degree was going to take me I would have probably chosen something different. Sometimes the academic content of the course itself does not look as exciting as the career prospects and vice versa. Also you might realise that you do not need a degree for your dream job (and save a number of years).

Make sure you know where your degree is taking you

Good luck!

[MIARIVEL]

Take it from me, I did the trial and error. I've done:

*Psychology degree

*Criminology & Law Degree

* Business certificate

* Counselling course

*Graphic Design

* Fashion Design

I am the type of person that wants to do it all but the thing that made me fall in love, I knew I had found my life purpose. When I studied Life Coaching, it has literally changed my whole life and I feel like this is what I am here for, this is what I love and I couldn't picture doing anything else. 

Although studying the others may have seem a waste of time, I enjoy learning and knowledge is power. I actually feel really good when people think I look so young and don't know much about anything and then I have conversations with people and I love to surprise them. 

I definitely think the Internet is your best friend when it comes too learning. Check out your universities and online courses and colleges, because in Sydney there are a lot of free workshops, courses and I've even found courses online where they have awesome information for really cheap; its all a matter of knowing where to look for these things. 

[didirci]

On 11/02/2016 at 1:46 AM, MIA.RIVEL said:

Take it from me, I did the trial and error. I've done:

*Psychology degree

*Criminology & Law Degree

* Business certificate

* Counselling course

*Graphic Design

* Fashion Design

I am the type of person that wants to do it all but the thing that made me fall in love, I knew I had found my life purpose. When I studied Life Coaching, it has literally changed my whole life and I feel like this is what I am here for, this is what I love and I couldn't picture doing anything else. 

Although studying the others may have seem a waste of time, I enjoy learning and knowledge is power. I actually feel really good when people think I look so young and don't know much about anything and then I have conversations with people and I love to surprise them. 

I definitely think the Internet is your best friend when it comes too learning. Check out your universities and online courses and colleges, because in Sydney there are a lot of free workshops, courses and I've even found courses online where they have awesome information for really cheap; its all a matter of knowing where to look for these things. 

Hi Mia,

Thanks for sharing your experience!

I am really curious about which type of 8-5 job you do as you mentioned earlier you are a life coach (if I am not wrong  )

Do you schedule your 121 with clients from 8 to 5 pm or is that another completely different job?

I am still hesitating to start my training as a life coach as personal development has also truly changed my vision of life !

Although I do have a (boring) 9-5 job and I have not found yet how to motivate my self on a daily basis to study after work.

So just wondering how you manage to fit it all with your 8-5 job?

Thank you so much!

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by didirci

[electroBeam]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 0:46 PM, MIA.RIVEL said:

Take it from me, I did the trial and error. I've done:

*Psychology degree

*Criminology & Law Degree

* Business certificate

* Counselling course

*Graphic Design

* Fashion Design

I am the type of person that wants to do it all but the thing that made me fall in love, I knew I had found my life purpose. When I studied Life Coaching, it has literally changed my whole life and I feel like this is what I am here for, this is what I love and I couldn't picture doing anything else. 

Although studying the others may have seem a waste of time, I enjoy learning and knowledge is power. I actually feel really good when people think I look so young and don't know much about anything and then I have conversations with people and I love to surprise them. 

I definitely think the Internet is your best friend when it comes too learning. Check out your universities and online courses and colleges, because in Sydney there are a lot of free workshops, courses and I've even found courses online where they have awesome information for really cheap; its all a matter of knowing where to look for these things. 

Wow that's a lot of degrees, hey at least you can design the clothes you wear, and handle your business while doing your life coaching.

 

and I actually live in Sydney Australia, not Sydney Florida haha. In Australia unfortunately we don't have as many job prospects for the type of interests I have(technical interests) and therefore its really hard to find workshops for certain things, but I will attend as much workshops at the uni I go to(Sydney uni its called, funny enough) and try them out.

 

[electroBeam]

On ‎9‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 11:47 PM, didirci said:

Something I wish I would have done before choosing my degree has also been said previously, you should definitely do a lot of research about each of your interests, this should be your starting point.

I think that is equally important to know WHAT type of jobs you will have access to with your degree because if I knew where my degree was going to take me I would have probably chosen something different. Sometimes the academic content of the course itself does not look as exciting as the career prospects and vice versa. Also you might realise that you do not need a degree for your dream job (and save a number of years).

Make sure you know where your degree is taking you

Good luck!

its really hard to figure it out! you think, for example electrical engineering will put you in the hands of cool microchips, but instead what my friends have found out is that you are actually forced to sit in a cubicle, drawing boring diagrams on the internet