College and Career Conundrums
by Amanda Fornecker
job. She fears rejection, being broke, and the inability to showcase her talents properly. Worst of all, she's terrified that she won't be happy at her first job. And she's one of the smartest people I know, who's extremely conscientious and organized in all the work she does. She deserves the very best. But will a stranger who's looking for an employee realize this? Of course, all of her feelings are warranted and natural. So I pose the question of career switching and school transferring. "What if I'm not happy where I end up?"
When I was a freshman in college I caught the transferring bug. I hated school, which was out of the ordinary for me since I was always good at the school thing and super-involved. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. It could have been that I was away from home (though I was just a ferry ride away) or that I graduated from a high school with only 90 girls (and was thrown into a chaotic sea of 20,000 students) or that I was devastated that my then-boyfriend was in another state (I realize now that that was silly). These things seem trivial to me now, but at the time they were life-shattering to me and I wanted out of my college.
Well, as it turned out I decided to stick it out for a bit. Sophomore year I looked into joining a sorority and I finally felt like I belonged to something. That year, I also became editor in chief of the senior yearbook. Perhaps this is what I needed for reasons I mentioned above (I was used to being in a small community and I was very involved in activities in high school). It was the right move for me and it's what saved me from having to transfer. But the reality is that a lot of people do have to transfer - they just need to do it for the right reasons and they should do thorough research first. Things to keep in mind: transferring credits (you don't want to have to unnecessarily retake classes), the potential program (you want to stay within your own interests and career goals), and the reasons you are transferring. I really believe you should be doing it for yourself. It's important to keep your best interests in mind.
This is no different than switching jobs or even careers for that matter. Though it may seem like a daunting task to take on a whole different career path, it really might be the best thing for you. Your job is where you'll spend most of your time and your colleagues are the ones with whom you'll interact most. You deserve to be happy where you are so why not take the leap and get certified? There are many career schools and Vocational Schools out there to help you along. Yes, you may have spent two or four years working on a degree that led you to a career you don't love but it doesn't have to stay that way. Nowadays, there are so many programs for continuing studies that will give you the perfect opportunity to excel.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, I read that at least 60 percent of college students have, at one time or another, been enrolled in another institution than when they ultimately earned their degree. And as you may guess, even more students, like me, have thought about it. See, it's really not that uncommon and definitely nothing to be ashamed of. In the end, it's your life and your happiness that counts. And like my friend will surely find employment that will make her happy, I'm certain that you can too.
When I was a freshman in college I caught the transferring bug. I hated school, which was out of the ordinary for me since I was always good at the school thing and super-involved. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. It could have been that I was away from home (though I was just a ferry ride away) or that I graduated from a high school with only 90 girls (and was thrown into a chaotic sea of 20,000 students) or that I was devastated that my then-boyfriend was in another state (I realize now that that was silly). These things seem trivial to me now, but at the time they were life-shattering to me and I wanted out of my college.
Well, as it turned out I decided to stick it out for a bit. Sophomore year I looked into joining a sorority and I finally felt like I belonged to something. That year, I also became editor in chief of the senior yearbook. Perhaps this is what I needed for reasons I mentioned above (I was used to being in a small community and I was very involved in activities in high school). It was the right move for me and it's what saved me from having to transfer. But the reality is that a lot of people do have to transfer - they just need to do it for the right reasons and they should do thorough research first. Things to keep in mind: transferring credits (you don't want to have to unnecessarily retake classes), the potential program (you want to stay within your own interests and career goals), and the reasons you are transferring. I really believe you should be doing it for yourself. It's important to keep your best interests in mind.
This is no different than switching jobs or even careers for that matter. Though it may seem like a daunting task to take on a whole different career path, it really might be the best thing for you. Your job is where you'll spend most of your time and your colleagues are the ones with whom you'll interact most. You deserve to be happy where you are so why not take the leap and get certified? There are many career schools and Vocational Schools out there to help you along. Yes, you may have spent two or four years working on a degree that led you to a career you don't love but it doesn't have to stay that way. Nowadays, there are so many programs for continuing studies that will give you the perfect opportunity to excel.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, I read that at least 60 percent of college students have, at one time or another, been enrolled in another institution than when they ultimately earned their degree. And as you may guess, even more students, like me, have thought about it. See, it's really not that uncommon and definitely nothing to be ashamed of. In the end, it's your life and your happiness that counts. And like my friend will surely find employment that will make her happy, I'm certain that you can too.
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