Have I chosen the right field?

The Summary of the Article

  • Doubts are normal: It’s common to question whether you’ve chosen the right field of study or career path. Reflecting on your choices is part of the process and can lead to clarity.

  • Accept your decisions: Embrace the decisions you’ve made, whether influenced by family, tradition, or circumstances. Living in harmony with your choices is key to personal fulfillment.

  • Reflect at key moments: Ideal times for reflecting on your study choices include semester transitions, graduation stages, or when considering career goals.

  • Seek support if needed: If uncertainty persists, discussing your choices with friends, family, counselors, or career advisors can provide valuable perspective and guidance. Utilize available resources like student health services, educational psychologists, or career guidance centers.

You can read the full article below.

The question “Have I chosen the right field?” is one that almost everyone asks at some point in their studies. I don’t always feel sure that this is the field for me, or that these are the studies that will lead to the career of my dreams. The most important thing is to live in harmony with yourself and accept your own decisions.

For many people, thinking about what to study started at vocational school or upper secondary school, and a choice had to be made by the time they applied for higher education at the latest. Was I free to choose for myself, or was the decision influenced by my parents’ profession, family tradition, or friends? Was this a field I simply happened to get into?

For some, choosing a field of study can be easy, even obvious. Some people find career choices frightening or struggle with uncertainty for years as they progress in their studies.

Accept the choices and decisions you make

The support we receive from home and our parents varies from person to person. Others are encouraged to study. Others are urged to go straight to work. In many cases, families may have hopes and expectations about our choice of studies.

What matters most, however, is that we accept the choices we make or face. Going along with others is not necessarily a bad solution, either, as long as you are aware of it and accept it.

Good moments for reflecting on your choice include:

  • the beginnings and ends of semesters
  • the graduation stage and finishing one’s studies.

There are many choices and ways of making these choices. Nothing in itself is good or bad. Decisions are individual and unique, and they carry meaning for the person making the choice. The main thing is that you can live in harmony with yourself and accept the choices you have made.

Sometimes it pays to discuss your choices

When we reflect on our issues and struggle with them, this is connected to spiritual, cultural, and social factors, as well as making and accepting our personal choices. It’s good to discuss your choices with someone else in order to gain clarity.

Ways to feel better

  • talking to friends, family, or fellow students
  • using the student health services or health centre services
  • contacting an educational psychologist or a church education worker
  • The TE Centre career guidance services may be helpful for reflecting on this topic.
  • For more information on studies and careers, please visit the Nyyti website’s Find help section.

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