How do I decide?

Question

I am still just a teenager, but high school is just around the corner, and then college, and I still don't have any idea what I want to be when I get older. I was thinking about becoming a lawyer, but I really enjoy music, and I just don't know what to do. I have to decide what subjects to study in high school, but I guess my real question is how do you decide what you are going to be when you get to college?

Answer 1

It is fun to try on the possibilities for what your life may be like, but don't let yourself get too stressed about it. The fact is that these days, it isn't like it used to be where you chose a career and stuck with it for life. Many people go through six or seven careers in their lives, and new options are being invented every day. The great thing about this is that you can often combine things that you like - for example, you could become an entertainment lawyer, specializing in the music field, or you could become an agent for musicians, negotiating their contracts.

I find that so many people feel that they have to pick something and stick with it forever, and since that would mean giving up everything else, they have a really hard time making any choices. It is paralyzing to think that you have to give up most of the things you enjoy.

I think I'm a pretty good example of this. I started college wanting to be a middle school music teacher, but once I started studying it, I didn't like it. I started working in restaurants and realized that I enjoyed management, so I went back to school for a degree in hotel and restaurant management. I then went on for an MBA, thinking I would go into higher levels of restaurant management, but fell into a job as a business professor and found that I loved that. For a while, I even got to play my cello professionally on the side while I was teaching. I went on for a Ph.D., and I have continued to teach, but have moved up into administration (the management thing again), and I developed an interest in the law, so I went to law school (for free at the school where I am a faculty member), and started doing some volunteer work as a lawyer. When I was your age, I knew I loved music, but I would never have guessed that I would get into managing restaurants, teaching at the college level, working as a professional musician, being a university administrator, and practicing law! And yet here I am, with at least another 15 years left in my career, and I've done all of those things.

Answer 2

Lots of people decide based on their interests. I was highly interested in photography in high school, then got a job as a professional photographer at a very small town newspaper for my first year out of high school. I then went to college, and started in the photojournalism program.

During that time, I had to take classes in other disiplines - i took sociology, found it so interesting that I changed majors. My first degree is in sociology. The I got my second degree in world and american history and teaching certification. I taught history and sociology for several years, then a job transfer for spouse had me quitting my job. I got a new job at a museum, and from there I learned to become a hat maker.

Now I'm a hatmaker, I teach history and hatmaking at a variety of historical, sci fi, costuming and anime events - and i run my own business.

You can choose based on what you like, but you can change your mind at any point along the way. My old chiropractor quit to become an organic farmer, and I've met a lawyer who now travels the country teaching and selling stuff at historic events.

Do what makes you happy in the end, is my opinion.

Answer 3

Take a deep breath.

Take college prep classes if you think you are interested in college.

Keep trying new and different classes until you find some subjects and ideas that interest you. Explore those things seriously and hard. (Until you know everything or you just can't stand it anymore)

The point of education is to learn how to use your mind. The only thing that is important about the tools you use to do it (Math, music, memorization, mediation...) is that you have enough variety to be well rounded and enough discipline to master a few.

Answer 4

It honestly doesn't matter what you study in high school, and there are people in college who don't know what they want to do with their lives. So you're definitely early. I graduated college, am now in my last year of law school and still don't really know what I want to do. I have a friend who has practiced law for 9 years and is quitting, only knowing she doesn't want to practice law anymore but not knowing exactly what she *does* want to do. It's not an easy decision for anyone.

I would be surprised if you've never been given one by your school, but I'd suggest a career aptitude test if you're really that concerned about this. Also, personality tests can help. Do an online search for these kinds of tests, or talk to a teacher or guidance counselor about taking one of these tests.

Answer 5

Dear teen,
It is very good of you to be thinking about how to decide. It takes time to learn to do it so very good of you to start in time. Try and find out what it is that the different professions have in common. What is it about them that you like? A lawyer likes to analyse a situation and get to solutions. You may even prefer a certain kind of law. You probably like to work with people and do some problem solving. Do you do it now also? Music playing is what you enjoy or the listening? You can start now in a course you like and find out what it feels like to do it many hours a day, a week, a lifetime.
What do you need to strengthen your strong sides and what do you have to to to strengthen your weaknesses? Can you name them?

Answer 6

As I appreciate your query it's: How is it feasible to prefer to not suppose? Isnt that the equal as figuring out to not make a decision, with out figuring out? An shrewd man or woman can concurrently maintain 2 at the same time exceptional recommendations of their brain while. Just due to the fact that you maintain some thing on your brain does no longer represent a determination to stick, and establish yourself with that proposal, and deal with that proposal as an extension of yourself. Holding a intellectual proposal isn't the equal as an emotional dedication. You can consider approximately being in love with 2 ladies with out honestly being in love with both. You can desire you had been in love with any person, however no longer be equipped to make your self love them. A critical lifestyles-lengthy devout determination is a factor of the top AND of the guts. You could make a determination head, center, each however no longer neither. Your center can suppose while your head doesnt... you're in for plenty of guilt after the truth of your movements. Your head can suppose while your center doesnt wherein case you're in for a few superficiality, contrivance, and sadness, or you'll suppose with each your head and center... wherein case you will have to additionally wish that fact and religion coincide. When they dont theres unhappiness, and after they do there's a few constitution and which means to lifestyles. Its ok in case you dont desire lifestyles to have which means if you don't suppose. Not being believed has by no means stopped the reality from being precise, simply from being acted upon.

Answer 7

go to princetonreview.com

there you can take a free career profile quiz (it's not too long so don't worry about something that will take forever) and it will give you your personal interest profile and what majors might suit your tastes. try it out, and good luck!

Answer 8

i think its best to test the waters..try alot of things and then you will know