As an incoming freshman, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to be — a psychologist. I dedicated all my college admission essays to this dream of me becoming a student studying psychology. After only a couple weeks of being on campus, I started to realize I was in an entirely different world than the one I thought I knew. It is such a shock having to carry yourself all on your own. "Adulting" became so real so fast, and money started to become a big worry. Quarters became more valuable to me, picking up more hours at work felt like winning the jackpot and blowing off friends at lunch dates were frequent.
While working as a tour guide on campus, parents would cringe and look at their soon-to-be student with big eyes that said, "She isn't going anywhere," whenever I said my major. My psychology professors would even acknowledge the popular question, "What are you going to do with a degree in psychology?" Not going to lie — it really scared me. With everything going on around me and the struggle of paying my tuition made my fear blossom even more. The thought of not having "enough" money when I started my career haunted my thoughts for the longest. I usually don't let other people's opinions get to me, but I had already began doubting my love for the social science.
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There are an overflow of questions that ran through my mind when trying to choose the right major. Will it get me a job in the future? How much will I make? Is it something to be proud of? The thought of having to make up my mind so quickly about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life was overwhelming. I began to think that I would never be satisfied with whatever I chose. To me it always seemed like a win-lose situation. I either do something I love and make below-average wages or find something I have a slight interest in but be financially set. So, like the scared, over-thinking freshman I was, I ran for the money and I switched to biology sciences.
I thought I was really happy with my decision for a while. Whenever someone asked me what my major was, they would be very impressed and would rave about how much money I would make one day. I found that I was never as impressed with myself as they were. I was missing something really big when I made my decision to change majors. I never really focused on the question: How happy will it make me?
The world today is undeniably ran by the love and power of money. This materialistic thing, a piece of paper. We automatically link success to money, but that is not true. During a group scholarship interview I had over the summer, someone spoke words that became really important to me.
"Success, to me, isn't about how much money you make, it is about how happy you are doing what you're doing."
For some students, doing what you love may be computer science, physics or biological sciences. For other students that could be teaching, journalism or art. For me I found comfort in social work. College is about finding who you are and figuring out what you love. The important thing here is to know that if you do what you love, the money will come.
To people who think I chose an "easy major," I may not make hundreds of thousands of dollars when I graduate college. I may not have the biggest house or the nicest car when I start my family. Your judgment will not affect my drive to achieve my degree. I want everyone to know the reason I am pursuing a career in social work. No, it is not because I am seeking the easy way out. No, it is not because I fear an academic challenge. It is because it is my passion.
