To the best of my abilities, I’ve tried to make a strong case for each of the primary reasons we’ve considered. In case you’re still unsure of which is for you, let’s consider a few clarifying questions.
Regret
One interesting way to think about decisions is in terms of trying to minimize your future regrets. Jeff Bezos says this technique was useful when he was thinking about quitting his job to start Amazon:
So, try to get into the mindset of your future 80-year old self. Imagine you’re sitting in a rocking chair watching your grandchildren playing on the swing set outside. When you’re sitting there reflecting on the life you lived, what will you regret having done or not done? If you apply those regrets to the decision at hand, what should you do now to best position yourself to minimize them? Try to spend a minute now coming up with answers before proceeding.
Another way we can think about minimizing our regrets is to look at what other people tend to regret. One hospice nurse asked her dying patients about their regrets, then wrote a book based on their answers. According to her, the most common regret of the dying is, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” If you aim to make sure you don’t have that same regret when you’re old, what does it imply you should try to do more or less of now?
Financial Obligations
Will you have pressing financial obligations soon after you graduate? Could you handle a few years of low salary while you try to get your foot in the door? If you know you’ll need a well-paying job upon graduation to pay off student loans or support a family, then career prep is probably the right choice for you. If, on the other hand, you don’t have any pressing obligations and you’re not overly worried about the possibility of a rocky start to your career, then you may want to consider the self-improvement path. I see this decision as a balancing act: Try to choose the path that will leave you feeling satisfied with your educational experience, but don’t take on more risk than you can handle.
False Dilemma
So far, we’ve discussed reasons for college as an either-or proposition. You either focus on preparing for your career or you focus on improving yourself. In reality, the choice isn’t binary. You’re free to pick one, both, or neither, and there are many different ways you could pursue them: add a minor, take classes outside your major for fun, or self-study to build skills you think you’ll need. The key is finding what works best for you and your goals, regardless of how that ends up looking. So, what approach (or combination of approaches) will best help you achieve your goals? Feel free to play with unusual solutions at this stage, as they often lead to considering new possibilities that end up being the best choice.
Logic vs. Emotion
Lastly, I’ll end on a disclaimer. We’ve been trying to use conscious reasoning to make this decision. The truth is, though, most people’s decisions are driven less by logic and more by emotion, and it’d be foolish for us to pretend we’re any different. So, pay attention to the other resources available to you: your emotions, your gut instinct, and your subconscious. Are they sending you signals that conflict with what your rational brain is telling you? Try to use rational thinking when you can, but don’t ignore other things that may be swaying you just because you can’t directly control them.
Conclusion
This was the final section on reasons for college. After this, we’re going to focus on applying your reasons to choosing the right major for you. If you haven’t already, spend a moment and reflect on which reason(s) resonates the most with you. If you can’t decide, what’s holding you back?
Remember, there’s no free lunch. No matter what you choose, you’ll have to work hard in college if you want to get something meaningful out of it. Make the best decision you can right now, and be willing to change your mind as situations change over time.
Previous Page
Next Page