Hello,
I’m pretty clueless about what to do at this point in my life. Some background info (sorry, it’s going to be long):
I go to a large, 40,000+ students public research university. I started out as (Health Sciences) Pre-Med last year, thinking that the higher-level coursework would help me look better when applying to Physical Therapy schools in the future. After talking to a professor in the PT program at my university, I was informed that it really wouldn’t be much help in the admissions process, so I decided to switch to the Pre-PT track of the Health Sciences major. While the two tracks are almost the same, there are some small differences in the number of credit hours and the order that the courses are taken in. I went to an advisor to try to sort this out before my first semester started last year, but he told me that it really wasn’t too big of a deal and I would be able to handle the courses (Biology & Chemistry) together just fine. I was a little wary, but I stuck with it and just decided to continue on with the semester. Mid-way through the semester, I realized how much I absolutely hated it. I was depressed, and essentially procrastinated to the point of no-return because I hated my classes so much… Every single one of them. It was hard to find the passion to work hard for my end-goal of becoming a PT when I hated the small components it took to get there. It didn’t help that I was in a very bad relationship with someone from my hometown, and did not feel like I had any friends on campus, despite joining a sorority. It felt like all I really had were my roommates, and it’s not like I could rely on them for plans all the time. I felt alone all the time. I struggled through the semester, ending with a 3.0, which isn’t particularly horrible, considering I did get a B in Biology and a C in Chem I, but when your end goal is a competitive doctorate program, it was devastating. I realize I should have worked harder, but of course, I can’t go back. I took a break from my major second semester freshman year, taking a few fluff classes combined with Gen. Chemistry II. My GPA raised a considerable amount at the end of that semester (still got a C in Chem II), but I was still unsure of pursuing a degree in something I had lost my passion for. In the end, I decided to opt for Occupational Therapy instead of PT because it requires less schooling and a Masters degree rather than a doctorate.
First semester sophomore year, I continued on with my OT school plans, taking Anatomy & Phys. (which I loved, even though it was difficult) and Physics and a few other courses. I HATED physics. My professor was awful, as were all the others, because our Physics department is on probation. Class average on tests was mid-40’s with no curve. I didn’t feel like I was being taught anything. With my GPA being only a 3.2, I knew Physics would destroy it completely, so I withdrew mid-way through the semester with the plan of switching to a major that would allow me to pursue a career in Healthcare Administration without taking all these useless, GPA ruining classes. I ended up with a B in Anatomy & Phys., and brought my GPA up to a 3.3. I just recently started my second semester as a Health Promotion and Education major, and honestly… It’s a joke. All of my exams for my classes are online, and studying is hardly necessary. These classes are almost laughably easier than those from my past semesters. I thought I would enjoy it, but I hate it. On top of that, in order to pursue a career, I would have to work my way up from a position in Health Promotion, which there are none of to begin with. My school doesn’t offer any HCA related majors.
I’m realizing now that I really do have a passion for the Health field, but I have no idea what to do or how to get there. I’ve debated majoring in Business and pursuing that side of the Health field, but I don’t really want to transfer into these classes and realize I have no passion for it either. Looking back, I really did enjoy classes like Anatomy and Biology. I partially want to go back, but I know my GPA will never be competitive enough to get me into a local OT/PT school, especially if I have to take Physics I and II, which is required for the major. If I don’t get into OT/PT school, I’m graduating with a Health Sciences degree, which would pretty much just allow me to get a job as a trainer in a gym, and I don’t really feel like $80,000+ of student debt is worth that when I could get those same qualifications from a small, tech school.
I just feel so depressed and lost. As a second-semester sophomore, I feel like I really have no time to explore my options. The only career I’ve ever explored seems unattainable, and I was miserable in half the classes it required. I just really don’t know what to do. I feel so stupid for procrastinating so much and being miserable in some of the PT classes, but it’s almost impossible for me not to be. I’m in my University’s Honors Program, and even though I’m in the top 7% of students at my school, I feel like such an idiot because everyone in it is a genius. I don’t know what to do with my life, or what major to pursue, and on top of that, I feel so lonely all the time. Even though I’m in a sorority and have a boyfriend (different from last year), aside from my boyfriend, I feel friendless and like I have no one. I have nowhere to live next year because I did not get into my sorority house, and I got rejected from the organization I most wanted on campus, Tour Guides, as it’s a very competitive organization and I didn’t do as well as I thought. I’ve talked to plenty of advisors about my school issues, but it feels like no one can help.
Do I take the risk of going back to a Health Sciences major and not getting into any OT/PT programs because I can’t compete with applicants super high GPAs? There’s no way I can stay in this Health Education major, it doesn’t challenge me enough. Or should I explore business, even though I feel like I might not like it and feel drawn to Health? I am so lost. It feels like I keep hitting and missing when it comes to majors, and when it comes to making friends and being involved on campus. I’ve been torn down so much in the past semester that I’m really just losing the energy to keep trying. Any recommendations for majors to explore/how to keep up a positive attitude?
i know right? crazy. but I’m really good at it and good at actual labs so thats why I’m sticking with it anyway XD ) Go for it! If you feel staying where you are is gonna be a waste of time anyway, and the thing you actually wanna do seems too competitive then what have you got to lose? One way its risk, the other way is risk. Take a good measured risk that will make you happy later even if miserable now, not one thats easy now and will make you miserable later. Again get advice from specialized people, get informed, find ways to get around what you don’t wanna do (theres always one XD ) and if not think long term! Kudos and good luck! 