The Goals Series: majors, minors, and career choices

I decided to make this series entitled "The Goals Series" because I have so many goals and dreams and I plan to make them come to fruition. I also want to help all of you make the decision to pursue your goals or dreams. I have always known that fashion is a field I want to be apart of. But aside from fashion, I had,and still have, other career dreams and goals. I realize that having a degree is what many employers look for. And I also realize that I can't major in every field that I want to be apart of. But I am passionate about many different things. What are they?

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I love baking. I actually planned to go to culinary school. But I decided against it. Instead, I realized that baking is what I want to do after I retire. I want to open my own bakery, not work for someone. Yes I am thinking way way way in advance. But, I don't want to be a retired lady who sits in her house all day doing nothing. For now, I am going to bake whenever possible so I can enhance my skills. Another dream I am passionate about is computer graphics or web design. I loved designing my website and putting details into every possible area. It was a long and sometimes difficult process. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed doing it and I loved seeing the finished product. My last career dreams are television/radio production and acting. Acting is extremely competitive. That's not why I didn't choose to major in it. I didn't have any experience. I never went out for auditions for commercials, productions, or high school plays. I am not turning the possibility away. I am always up for a challenge. Radio/TV production was actually my first major choice. I went on numerous college tours for that major specifically. If I were to do anything like that in the future, I would steer more towards the television side.

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Now you have a little bit of my dream background. I really believe that if you believe in yourself, you can do anything. I am still learning to not always be so modest. Instead I am trying to be my biggest fan and hype-man. My blog was a dream that I had for a long time. I finally sat down, made a plan, and got down to it. All of the dreams I listed above are still fair game to me. My current plan is to major in fashion merchandising and minor in either computer graphics or a relating minor. Our professors stress that merchandising is a broad field, so a minor can help you narrow down your choices to a clear path. You also look desirable to employers with a minor.

Like I said previously, I always knew that fashion was a field I would pursue. But not everyone knows what their dream is at first. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your major, minor, and career choice.

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1. Don't let other people choose for you. I know parents and other relatives may have a set career decision for you or may want you to follow in their footsteps. But ultimately, this will probably be a career you will be doing for many years. Choose something you truly enjoy and can see yourself doing long-term.

2. Don't choose a major or career only because of the average salary. Yes, money is a major component in life. But don't become a lawyer just for the big salary. A lot of work goes into the high paying jobs. So unless you are willing to be in school for 6-8 years, you might want to reconsider.

3. You don't have to choose a minor that is directly complementary with your major. This is something that I struggled with. I thought that I needed to have a fashion minor to look good for employers. But, having business, computer, or any other skill as a minor will always be useful.

4. Having a change of heart is not bad. Changing your major is not abnormal. What is really important is you finding a major and minor that you will be happy with. Many school require that students declare their major and minor at the end of their sophomore year. So research different majors and career opportunities. Meet with an counselor. Do whatever you need to figure out what makes you happy.

5. Before you choose or declare your major, look at the job market. Does the major you are going for actually require a degree? Some careers, like performing arts do not require a degree. Instead, you can go to a trade school or apply for jobs. Think about your passion, look into the career, and see if spending the money on college is actually necessary.

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I am very excited about this series. I hope to influence people to go after their goals in college, after, and later in life. The next posts in this series will be "Following a passion" and "How to plan, budget, & stay motivated". Let me know what your passions/dreams are in the comments at the bottom of the College Blog page.

~ The Natural Queen