ONE of the most daunting decisions young adults face is choosing the right college program. In university, students often select a concentration, a specific field they will have to spend hours on end studying about.
However, for a few, their first choice isn’t always the best fit. As people broaden their horizons and explore new interests, they find different college programs related to their passions, sometimes during their studies or even after graduation. But, these shifts do not necessarily mean something bad; oftentimes, this can lead to exciting new career paths.
Sacred New Beginnings
Yu Li Bel Dizon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She is currently a full-time student taking a Teacher Certificate Program, which will allow her to take the Licensure Exam for Teachers or LET in the Philippines. To meet the requirements, one must complete at least 18 units of professional education, which Yu Li is currently working on to make her teaching aspirations a reality.
As a young kid in kindergarten, she initially aspired to be a teacher. But, as time may have it, she found different paths, and the range of career options she explored grew wider. The options to choose from were endless: law, arts, entrepreneurship. There were also times she was not entirely set on what she truly wanted, “It also came to a point where I was very undecided, most of the time blanking out, about which path to take as I near college graduation because I felt like there was a time bomb.” She shared.
But as fate would have it, a few months before her graduation, Yu Li found her way back to what was once her childhood dream. “It was only during my last term that I decided to be in the academe, as per the suggestion of my professor. The idea gave me peace of mind which made me fully convince myself to teach.” she adds.
Meg Landrito is a 20-year-old student currently studying a Bachelor of Science Major in Psychology. Natural Science has always been something Meg is interested in, but she believed it was not the right fit due to her previous grades; as she settled down in college, she knew the prospect of studying science still lingered in the back of her mind, “Fast forward to the first term of my freshman year, and something didn’t feel right. I felt like something was missing in my classes, like I could do more than what was asked of me.” she explained.
Initially, she was studying AB Psychology, but her interest in science kept calling her, “So, I compared the AB and BS Psychology curriculums, and as soon as I spotted all the science subjects, something in my mind just said, ‘Go for it.’ I’ve always enjoyed learning, but my grades in high school made me doubt myself. This time, however, I chose to overcome those doubts and challenge myself instead.” Although the AB path had appealing subjects, she felt like she belonged elsewhere, “I realized that I would rather graduate as a regular student who pursued their passion than graduate with Latin honors filled with regret. Hence, shifting from AB to BS Psychology felt like a full-circle moment, bringing me back to pursuing something I’ve always been eager to learn about.” Meg explained.
Embracing the new path
Admittedly, the sudden shift was quite tricky for Yu Li. After years of studying sociology, suddenly transitioning to education felt daunting, “It was full of self-doubt. I am in a field with little to no knowledge on how things work and just a passion to pass on knowledge to students.” she explains that it is the passion and dedication to teaching that drives her to improve and grow in her field continuously.
Yu Li recognizes the appeal of teaching as a career, particularly its flexibility, “In all honesty, its the flexibility that it comes with. Having the weekends off, taking off the hat as soon as I tap my ID out, taking control of your schedule in class — the topics and activities to do each session, experiencing suspension of work and classes due to typhoons or external activities, it’s like I’m a student again, and most importantly, I am able to go to school which I love doing while getting paid.” she explains that this career path she is working towards is something that she truly believes in and loves.
Despite both programs under Psychology, Meg shared that the drastic change from AB to BS was challenging as she grew akin to the arts and the way it is studied, “Shifting from AB to BS Psychology was definitely a drastic change, especially with the additional 55 science units added to the curriculum. The workload was extremely challenging, particularly coming from a HUMSS background. There were many trials and errors in my first few terms of tackling BS courses—from studying different branches of science to figuring out which study methods worked best for me. Failing exams was also a new experience, something I hadn’t encountered in a while since HUMSS assessments were mostly subjective and focused on written outputs.” Meg shared that although challenging, what made the transition easier was her solid support system and a dedicated study routine.
The Right Time
Indeed, making the shift requires careful consideration; the right time for someone is not necessarily the right time for many; there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline in life.. When at a crossroads or filled with fear, take it from Yu Li, the right time is when opportunity presents itself, “I believe that the right time is “now”, when an opportunity comes knocking on your door, may it be a new career opportunity or to leave your current situation. I have always believed that one should live life the way one wants it to be.” she shared.
Echoing the same sentiments, Meg believes no fixed timeline is applicable for everyone. “It’s never too late to change career paths, especially if your gut feeling tells you to do so. That being said, I do recommend that people take the time to reflect if they’re struggling to find passion in their current program or career. As cheesy as it sounds, I’ve always believed that ‘life is a learning experience’—you’re not limited to learning during secondary or tertiary education, and there’s definitely no set deadline for figuring out what you want to pursue in life.” she shared.
Yu Li and Meg’s stories highlight that finding your path is not always discovered in an instant, college decisions can be quite difficult and choosing to change directions is alright.
Be it through revisiting old dreams or chasing new passions, it’s never too late to take the leap. What matters in this journey is to trust your instincts because there is no right timeline for the journey to success.
