Hey there! im about to end 10th grade yet i still havent decided what im going to major in…its a big struggle for me. I was thinking of engineering or some physics/astronomy related field but im really bad at those ;(( My friend recommended architecture cuz i like drawing and math but i dunno…. (if money didnt matter id probably choose art or design tho)
hey there,
omg i hear you. first of all, i’m sorry you’re feeling worried about this! when i was in high school, i felt the same way :(. it’s stressful to not have a concrete plan for your future, especially when it seems like other people around you have it all together.
but, now that i’m not in high school, i can tell you that it’s so, so perfectly normal to not know what you want to major in yet! honestly, when people used to tell me that this was normal, i thought they were lying to me to make me feel better… and now i know that they were right all along.
because nobody has it all together. those people who say they’ve got their heart set on something, ok whatEVER good for them i guess. but they are few and far between. (and most of the time, they’re the ones choosing law, medicine, or business for their parents.)
if you take one thing away from me, let it be this: you do not have to know what you want to major in yet. if you’re just finishing grade 10, you still have time. if you’re just entering grade 12, you still have time. if you’re entering your first year of university, you still have time. it’s all good and nothing is wrong.
like, i switched majors after second year. nothing bad happened to me — in fact, i actually learned so much from having experience in different majors!
if you were interested in U of T as an option at all, i’ll have you know that U of T students don’t have to choose their major until after their first year is over. other schools make you choose right off the bat, but U of T allows you to explore first before making your decision! (at least, this is the case with the faculty of arts and science. it’s slightly different for engineering and architecture because those are separate faculties).
but anyways, i think it’s really great that you’re considering engineering, physics, and/or astronomy. you say you’re bad at those, but don’t sell yourself short!! in university, success is far more based on work ethic rather than talent. you even said you like math, which is perfect — i’m pretty sure engineering, physics and astronomy are all heavily math based. so if you really do like math, i think you would do well in them.
meanwhile, your friend is right. architecture is a great option if you like drawing and design but also want the practicality of a science-y degree. i have a couple of architecture friends who were very into art in high school. like, i’m pretty sure it’s a stereotype that people who want to pursue art go for architecture.
overall, all these options are good options.
but where to go from here? here are two suggestions i have for figuring out what you want to do:
1. talk to people who are a few years older and get their perspective. do you know anyone in university? do you know anyone majoring in anything you’re interested in? ask them for advice, and find out what it’s really like to study those things.
2. get as much experience as you can in the fields you’re interested in. ie, let yourself see the room before you decide whether or not you want to be in it.
for example, there are engineering, physics, architecture, or astronomy programs offered by universities for high school students. spending time exploring these options through fun summer activities might help bring you some clarity. i know that U of T offers engineering summer programs for high school students — and i’m sure most every university near you offers something similar.
if you want a list of U of T summer programs for high school students, look here. there’s an architecture one on there, low commitment — only 2 weeks long! and there’s a bunch of engineering ones there. honestly these are so cool i wish i had known about these in high school.
but yeah, those are just some of my suggestions. the combination of advice from someone a few years older while trying things out firsthand can really help.
it’s kinda crazy because i was in a really similar situation to you when i was your age. up until grade 12, i wanted to go into astronomy or astrophysics. ultimately, i ended up choosing something different because i didn’t enjoy math. then i switched again once i got to university. but through it all and up until now, i know that if money didn’t matter i would be in music.
so i definitely feel what you’re going through.
and i don’t know, it’s hard. choosing between a creative career and an academic one is hard. ultimately, i chose science because i liked it and had a higher chance of making a living with it, among other reasons. is the decision to not pursue something artistic slowly but surely carving a hole into me every day? perhaps. have i recently been enjoying my science degree to the point of happy tears and gleeful skips around the apartment? perhaps.
but, enough about me. you’ll have a whole different experience from mine, and have got to figure out what makes the most sense for you. all i can tell you with certainty is that it’s normal to not be decided on a major and you still have time to figure it out. please don’t listen to anyone who makes you feel like you need to have everything together right now, please be gentle with yourself when you are unsure of things. it will work out!
anyways, i hope you took something useful from this. wishing you the bestest of luck. you are more capable than you think! i believe in you!
over and out,
aska