How to pick a major?

[Hellooo]

What to do when you have to pick  one major, but you’re interested in so many majors, but you still have to choose only one. 

I just find it extremely difficult to make a choice between studying so many cool stuff

So the question is whether i have to randomly pick a major or whether I have to take into account certain specific criteria before I make that choice ?

I just don’t want to regret my choice 

So if you’ve been there before and you have some advice for me , that would be extremely helpful.

[mmKay]

Take a gap year to understand yourself better. This question implies that you simply dont understand yourself deep enough, just like most people ( that's the default  ) 

Think, journal, contemplate, imagine , research and talk with people about possibilities

Take Leo's Life purporse course. It offers invaluable clarity on exactly the topic you are struggling with. 

This is my recommendation. Option 2 is go with your gut feeling and quit if you dont like it and try something else. I'd go with number 1 if I were you. 

[Willie]

4 hours ago, Hellooo said:

What to do when you have to pick  one major, but you’re interested in so many majors, but you still have to choose only one. 

I just find it extremely difficult to make a choice between studying so many cool stuff

So the question is whether i have to randomly pick a major or whether I have to take into account certain specific criteria before I make that choice ?

I just don’t want to regret my choice 

So if you’ve been there before and you have some advice for me , that would be extremely helpful.

Community colleges are great places to dabble in different interests and find out which you would rather major in. They’re cheap with no pressure to commit right away.

[AlphaAbundance]

 

• Money (Income, Salary)
• Skill (Strength, Caliber, Capabilities, Ability, Experience)
• Aptitude (Potential, Talent, Strengths)
•  Impact (Altruism, Contribution)
•  Interest  (Passion, "Enjoyment", Creativity, Exploration, Adventure)
• Meaning (Challenge, Growth, Flow, Fun)
•  Opportunities (Entrepreneurship, Business, Invention, Innovation, Impact)
•  Flexibility (Ability to switch into different fields, pivotability, pivot ability)
• Value (Scarcity, High Value, Low Availability, No/Low Abundance, Unique, Rarity)
• High Demand, Popularity (Popular enough that it is a valid field but not popular enough that it is mediocore, unrare, overly abundant and unscarce, low value)
• Exclusivity (Lack of ability to self-learn, hardness in breaking into the field with no credentials)
•  Difficulty (ROI, Return on Investment, ROE, Return on effort)

This seems to be a solid list of criteria. However there could be more not considered here.

As you can see, it can be argued there are impersonal / "objective" criterias aswell as personal / "subjective" criterias

• What you love --> Interest, Passion
• What the world needs --> Impact, Meaning
• What you can be paid for ---> Money
• What you are good at ---> Aptitude, Skill

Related to Japanese concept of Ikigai

 

So you could take all the majors (the ones you are interested in or even every single major) and assess them based on this (and any other) criteria. Research  and significant thinking / contemplation will be required for alot of them (like demand, money, even impact, etc.)

 

I might edit this later as not finished and cant do shit on the phone.

 

Why are you going to college?

This may be (and probably is) the best choice for you but more information would be needed.

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by AlphaAbundance

[Matt23]

Maybe just go with whatever generally/relatively fits your personality, strengths, and dreams/desires.  But while also considering that, likely (for me anyways), what you take in Uni won't define what you do afterwards.  It might help put you in a general direction, but it doesn't have to define the particulars.  You might even do something completely different afterwards, or quit halfway through.  

Also, consider that skills, education, and experiences in one domain or subject can sometimes (often...?) applied to other domains as well.  Like learning auto mechanics might help someone in building political systems.  Or fly fishing might teach someone patience which can be used almost anywhere in life.  etc.  etc.  etc.

 

What would the/a synthesis of Gut--Heart--Head look like?