Should college students pick majors solely based on what makes them happy, or should they compromise with majors that provide them financial stability as well as a tolerable career path?
Today’s generation of students seem to be more concerned about the state of their emotional well-being than the size of their pocketbooks.
As a result, we have been left with a diversified group of graduates who are either searching for jobs or struggle to make ends meet.
So, should we embrace the students that pick these majors, or should we try to persuade them to pick areas of study that can lead to a higher paying profession with better rates of employment?
Indeed doing what you love can be satisfying in life, but if you’re poor in the process and struggle to keep the electricity on then you may as well be doing something you hate.
Today’s college students are more capable than generations before them.
Yet, when it comes time to make one of the most important decisions of your life it’s important to be slightly rational in addition to emotional.
In today’s society, an infinite amount of resources exist. There is no excuse to fail at receiving an education. At the same time, however, there is no excuse not to be financially independent and self-sufficient.
Unfortunately, in addition to being more capable, we have also become more dependent. Many people argue that society indirectly subsidizes the unemployed prospective actress who roams the streets of New York looking to land a lead role with nothing more than a degree in theater. While there may be some truth to that, these same critics neglect to acknowledge the value individuals in the arts add to our society and culture.
Either way you look at it, employment levels for these graduates still don’t look too promising.
While it’s important to possess a diverse society, it’s equally important to possess a valuable one. Humans tend to have a poor perception of happiness.
In the example of selecting a major, many students may be certain that a liberal arts degree may be their true calling while they’re 18 years old.
Yet, they still fail to calculate for their financial future, as well as the profession that’s most likely to be continuously rewarding even as their own character and personalities grow and develop.
Your passion may only be your passion if it’s enjoyed on the weekends as opposed to five days a week to make a living. It’s even more important for individuals to identify with themselves on how they want to impact the world, not just professionally, but also as a human being. Where we go and who we become are all questions that may never have any clear answers, but remaining open and optimistic about the future allows us to be more rational and flexible to the inevitable tides of change, the only thing that’s constant in life.
