The Biggest Mistake That Undergraduates Make
The thought of graduating college and not being prepared is extremely scary, causing anxiety for many undergraduates. Why is that? Well, for one, getting that high GPA and studying for that next midterm is already enough to think about, let alone the thought of graduating.
The constant pressure from parents, teachers, and friends pushes students to have “short-term” vision causing them to lose sight of the end goal. In theory, doing well in the short-term typically leads to better outcomes in the long-term, right? It sounds good on paper, but for many undergraduates it is difficult to do well in the short-term if they do not love what they are doing. I for one, fell victim to having short-term vision as a young student because I did not know which major truly interested me (Evolution of majors: Biology>Kinesiology>Forensic science>Criminal Law & Justice>Political Science>Economics). At that time, my parents thought I was crazy and that I was wasting my time in college. Looking back it, going through those different phases and changing my majors was the best lesson that I learned in school. Do whatever it takes to figure out what you love, as early as you can. If you figure it out on your first shot, more power to you, but for most of us, it will take a couple tries.
There is this concept in Economics called, “opportunity cost”, which means the time you spend doing X creates “lost time” for doing Y. For example, the opportunity cost of watching that Netflix show is time you could have used to go to the gym. This concept can be applied to young people trying to figure out what they want to do in life. The solution is to take risks and make mistakes early. It is better to fail early and know what you don’t want to do rather than going 4 years forcing yourself to like what you’re studying. I’ve seen people go through college hating what they do and end up changing their majors as seniors. Imagine if they changed their majors when they were a freshman or even a sophomore.
Why is it hard for undergraduates to figure out what they love to do? 1) It’s scary. My parents wanted me to go the typical doctor route, and I did not want to disappoint them. 2) Not using resources. Students need to take advantage of their University’s resources (e.g. career services and counselors), join student clubs related to their major, and to network with people in their desired field. Use Google or Linkedin, find someone in the position you think you would want to do, and email them or even take them out for a coffee chat. People in the work force love giving advice to young ambitious professionals.
Do not take risks and make mistakes in vain, you must understand the mechanics of your mistakes and learn from each experience. This type of mentality requires certain characteristics. Those who are courageous enough to do so must have a high pain threshold to overcome and to move forward. Discipline and persistence are also two key characteristics enabling people to reap the full benefits of learning from making mistakes.
Once you find that major that you truly enjoy, it will make learning and understanding easy and exciting. Ten years from now, you will be able to look back with no regrets because you took those risks, made those mistakes, learned from those mistakes, and did everything in your power to do what you love. Break to build.
