I am a Freshman in college with an undeclared major. I promised myself that I would declare my major within one semester to one year after starting school, so now that I am halfway through my first semester I am starting to really think about what I direction I should go in.
The problem is that I am torn between two completely opposite and unrelated fields of study.
The first choice is to declare a major in biochemistry and work towards becoming a research scientist. I haven't narrowed down the specifics of the field I want to go into, but science has always interested me. I love science classes. I love studying science and doing science homework. I used to read ahead in my Biology textbooks in high school...just for fun. A career in research would suit me because I am a very stable person. I like working alone, solving problems, and discovering things.
The problem with a career like that though, is that I am also a VERY social-conscious person. I, like any other girl, have glamorous visions for my future. Of going to parties, working in NYC, dressing fashionably everyday, and being in the center of everything. It is very dismal to think of myself cooped up in a lab all day with no social life or excitement. It'd excite my nerdy side, but I could also see myself getting depressed.
So my second choice is a career in the arts. Either photography, graphic design, advertising, or fashion design. This isn't a random choice. I have always been very passionate about art and design. I was in photography club in high school, have won several design contests, and even used to take college-level art courses at my local art institute. Art, though to me, is harder. It is not black and white and it stresses me out a lot more than science does. I hated every single assignment I would be given in my art classes, but somehow would always turn out something that people would awe over. One man even paid me $50 straight up for one of my projects. I admit that I have a good eye for design, but it would take a lot more work for me. I see it as the harder route. The one where I will earn less money and less prestige. Not that that should be a factor, but being successful IS important to me. A life in an art-based career would certainly be a lot of fun, and an exciting challenge, but I'm scared of it. Science seems safer, strangely enough.
I don't know what to do, or how to decide between these two. If you have any advice or insight that'd be great. I just need something to get me thinking in the right perspective about this!
The problem is that I am torn between two completely opposite and unrelated fields of study.
The first choice is to declare a major in biochemistry and work towards becoming a research scientist. I haven't narrowed down the specifics of the field I want to go into, but science has always interested me. I love science classes. I love studying science and doing science homework. I used to read ahead in my Biology textbooks in high school...just for fun. A career in research would suit me because I am a very stable person. I like working alone, solving problems, and discovering things.
The problem with a career like that though, is that I am also a VERY social-conscious person. I, like any other girl, have glamorous visions for my future. Of going to parties, working in NYC, dressing fashionably everyday, and being in the center of everything. It is very dismal to think of myself cooped up in a lab all day with no social life or excitement. It'd excite my nerdy side, but I could also see myself getting depressed.
So my second choice is a career in the arts. Either photography, graphic design, advertising, or fashion design. This isn't a random choice. I have always been very passionate about art and design. I was in photography club in high school, have won several design contests, and even used to take college-level art courses at my local art institute. Art, though to me, is harder. It is not black and white and it stresses me out a lot more than science does. I hated every single assignment I would be given in my art classes, but somehow would always turn out something that people would awe over. One man even paid me $50 straight up for one of my projects. I admit that I have a good eye for design, but it would take a lot more work for me. I see it as the harder route. The one where I will earn less money and less prestige. Not that that should be a factor, but being successful IS important to me. A life in an art-based career would certainly be a lot of fun, and an exciting challenge, but I'm scared of it. Science seems safer, strangely enough.
I don't know what to do, or how to decide between these two. If you have any advice or insight that'd be great. I just need something to get me thinking in the right perspective about this!