Advice for academically strong, but directionless daughter

Emmycat
Tue, 30 Jun 2020 13:06:55 +0000

Thank you all so much for the replies. I have shared many of them with her and really appreciate the links and suggestions for things for her to investigate. She has mentioned Peace Corps and Americorps and is very drawn to both of those. She has worked a couple of part-time minimum wage jobs so far, has worked as a supplemental instructor for a professor and has done some research with a professor, so she’s beginning to gain some life experiences. But, she feels like she’s behind because she hasn’t yet worked, interned or researched in a field where she eventually wants to work. A couple of her friends have very clear paths and are already doing that kind of work in fields they love, but I keep telling her those friends are the exception and what she is experiencing is normal.

I think the main thing is for her to take a deep breath and accept that she doesn’t have to figure it all out right now. And I definitely agree that feeling like major=destiny is a problem. We’re working on that with her. Thanks again to all of you for your time and thoughts.