Colleges!

My friends already know what college they want to go to, what they want their career to be, etc. I have very little ideas for college and my life. Should I start thinking about it? I'm only in the eighth grade! I just think it's kinda early. Am I being naive?

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
11 replies since 16th April 2011 • Last reply 16th April 2011

Reply #1:

no way, it took me years to figure out what I wanted to do.

since I was a kid, I wanted to be a nurse, an archeoligist, vocanicoligist, geologist, and now I am a graphic designer.

PS. I am 30 now

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #2:

I agree with Michelle, I can pretty much guarantee your friends will change their minds before they actually apply to college. It's nice to have dreams though!

I pretty much chose my degree - International Management and Modern languages at random as I didnt want to study languages on their own and picked whichever course made sense to go with languages. Never thought of studying that before and turns out I absolutely loved it, now working in International Trade and never wished I did anything else.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #3:

My school pushed us to think about it when I was in junior high too. It was very annoying. I've been out of school for almost two years now and still don't know what I want to do. Do not worry about it at all! It will come to you eventually and like Tasha said you're friends will probably change their minds. And even if you get close to graduating and still don't know what to do, don't go to school just because you feel like you have to. Why waste the money?

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #4:

I would suggest you have an idea of what you would like to do but don't get too attached to it. Don't feel like you have to stick to whatever career you think you will enjoy now, let yourself have the freedom to change your mind.

The first couple of semesters in college are usually when you take your General Education courses, these are required regardless of your major. This is a good time to explore classes that sound interesting because alot of people are so strict with their goals that they end up wasting money on an education for a job they realize they don't like. Lots of people change their mind during this time and find their real career.

You should definitely realize that your grades will now affect your college opportunities. College is way more fun than regular school, picking your own classes makes a huge difference. Good luck~

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #5:

Trying to decide on what college you want to go to when you're still 4-5 years away from graduating from high school is a waste of time and something that isn't worth putting much thought into so soon.

I didn't start thinking about colleges until I was about to graduate.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #6:

I knew what I wanted to do and what college I wanted to go to by the end of my freshmen year. But by the end of my senior year that changed. And at 25- I'd say it kind of changed again. So don't worry about it.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #7:

same here, I didn't decide on uni till my last year in school

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #8:

Yeah don't worry about it, chances are they will have changed their minds by the time they get to college (and then a few more times once they are there) be yourself, you don't have to base your life and decesions on what others are doing take it slow kiddo, you will figure it out!

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #9:

Yeah don't worry about it, chances are they will have changed their minds by the time they get to college (and then a few more times once they are there) be yourself, you don't have to base your life and decesions on what others are doing take it slow kiddo, you will figure it out!

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #10:

Well, there's no harm in thinking about it, but going to Uni or College goes just like all other major events you plan for (parties, big dinner gatherings, moving house etc...) - you can write thousands of 'To Do' lists and compare all your ideas and talk to people about it for aaaaggggeeees, but somehow the last few days before it's due to happen always end up rushed and changing at the last minute!

You just can't know in advance, no matter how well you plan. You'll always have a missing bit of information that you don't know about or decide about until right before, or something will intervene to mess up careful plans. The best way is just to think about yourself, what you want and need and have ambitions to do, but don't pin your needs down a specific location or subject just yet
(or you'll be devastated if you can't go in the end - I was 100% convinced that going to Cambridge or Oxford Uni was my DESTINY, but it didn't work out, and I went to Glasgow instead. Took me 3 years to stop feeling like a total failure, but then I realized I loved the Uni, I loved the course, it's still a 600-year-old prestigious Uni, and I kept hearing bad things about how stressful Oxbridge was!)

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #11:

Honestly I have changed my major about 3 time since I have been in college....

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam


Reply