Ever have days where you beat yourself up for not fighting for the course you really want to take up in college? Going through four years of college while learning things you’re not passionate about is just pure unadulterated torture; no one should ever live a life they’re unhappy about.
Well maybe the solution is staring at you in the face: shift courses!
If this is something that’s been weighing on your mind lately, boy are you lucky. You asked from “a sign” from the universe, and a sign ya shall receive. Eight of them, actually. Here is Zoomer Corner’s list of signs that you should shift courses in college.
Sure, not every major is enjoyable. But we’re not talking about the classes you dread just because you ended up with a horrible professor, or a class that frustrated you because getting a passing grade just seemed impossible.
We’re talking about those classes where you find yourself asking, “why am I still here?”.
Operative word: classes. It’s normal to dread one or two majors, but when everything feels like a hassle, maybe it’s time to shift courses in college.
Most of us have thought of shifting the moment we got our college entrance test results. Filipino parents are notorious for forcing their children to choose courses that they don’t want because they’re just more practical from a financial standpoint.
Because of this, we try to compensate by taking a minor related to our real passion or using up free electives for them. Some of us even join organizations that have projects where our heart truly lies.
When we’re passionate about a cause, then these things that eat up our “free time” may not feel like work at all.
Look back at how much energy and time you invested in the activities related to your passion, versus those related to the course you’re stuck in. You might be surprised that you’re actually spending less than 10% of your day caring about your degree program.
Data privacy is a sham. We all know how smart all these websites and apps are getting with the personal data that we give them. Most of the time, they know things even before we do.
So when Youtube is recommending you videos about the things you truly care about, or Facebook is showing you posts from friends who are taking the course that you are eyeing, take it as a sign. Hell, if you found this blog post in one of your social media feed, then maybe Mark Zuckerburg God is trying to tell you something.
Trust these tech giants, they know best.
How often do you willingly read articles in the field that you’re studying? Now, compare that to how often you read stuff related to the field that you potentially want to study in.
We are unconsciously drawn to the things that we can’t have. So when you’re studying biology but really want to formally study graphic design, you may find yourself reading news about the Adobe creative suite or obsessively following famous visual artists in the local community.
The most telling sign is when you start researching about the life of someone who works in a certain field. How much money do they make? What does their typical day look like? Do they regret it? Did they also shift courses in college?
When you’re a freshman, getting a failing mark in a major can hit you deep no matter how much you play it cool to other people. But as you spend more time in college, you become numb about failing… at least for those who aren’t happy with the course they’re taking.
Yes, failure is such a common thing in college that it might seem laughable to get affected by it. But feeling a “sting” when you fail at something you care about is only normal.
If you recurringly feel nothing when you get failing grades for your majors, then that’s a huge red flag that you should be putting all your energy into a course you’ll actually cry for. As bad as it may sound, crying and doubting yourself over a failed grade shows that you are passionate about what you’re studying as opposed to feeling absolutely nothing.
The most common excuses we hear about why one doesn’t want to shift courses in college are: (a) parents, and (b) it’s too late. Let’s address them both, shall we?
First, there’s the idea that your parents will just not approve of you switching gears. I want you to recall if you’ve truly sat down with them to seriously and thoroughly discuss why you want to shift. Did you tell them the whole truth about it?
Some of us are admittedly not transparent with our parents. But if there’s a time to get real, it’s when you’re trying to persuade the people who are funding your college education. To their credit, the money they invest putting us through school is no joke. So we should cut them some slack, too.
And of course, it’s only normal to get shut down the first time you bring up the idea of shifting courses. The question you should now ask yourself is, did you push hard enough? While we do not encourage you being too pushy, just make sure that you get all your points across before totally closing the chapter. If you don’t, you might spend a whole lifetime regretting it.
Now let’s get to the excuse that it’s “too late” for you to shift. You might be three years into your course right now, and you just feel like it’s not worth the jump when you’re so close to graduation.
While that’s a totally valid reason, just carefully weigh the practicality of your staying in your current course versus when you shift courses.
We live in a country where your college degree can make opening certain doors easier to open, so having a diploma in the field you want to enter is extremely helpful. For most fields in science and medicine, these diplomas are even required.
But just on an individual standpoint, I want you to ask yourself if you can still stand being in the course for longer. How happy are you with where you are… really?
Did we miss any signs that someone should shift courses in college? Share them with us in the comments below! If you loved this article, then you’ll probably love the other advice we have for you here.
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Hello! I felt like you're addressing me personally in this post. I am a 3rd year veterinary student, wrestling with myself not to shift because of parents and because it's too late. I actually talked to my mom about shifting in my first year. I wanted Journalism/English/Media. Those were what I stayed up to doing in high school, stayed up to obsessing over in articles and people who are involved in those fields.
She gave me challenges and a yes, but of course I received some sermon, but then COVID hit and I didn't continue with my plan to shift. One of my classmates shifted in just recently and went to English. I felt rattled. I felt called. I don't know what to do. I sought advice from friends. They said yes; they said ikaw ba, choice mo yan.
Just now, I was prepping myself to find a way to tell my parents, but then my father received a call and I received a one-time scholarship aide. I was happy for a moment, and thought it must be God's sign telling me He will provide, but it's up to me from now on. We'll see how this goes, dear writer. I love writing too, and reading. It improved a lot of my confidence.
Thanks!
I'm a nursing student right now but same as you, I wanted Journalism too, I want to be a reporter or a writer. It's just that I think they will not be in demand in the near future, unlike nursing which will never be out of people's needs. I'm a first year college student and I'm not sure if I really want to shift course since my parents already paid my tuition that is really heavy to shoulder. I wish I'll receive a scholarship too or any random sign that will tell me "You made the right decision, stay where you are." Right now, I'm telling myself that I chose this course already, I only need to choose it again. Yep, I'm aware that I'm really a mess right now, sobra.
Hello po! Same first year nursing student and I am also thinking of shifting majors, I don't know if I really want this major and I don't feel fulfilled most of the time, It was a decision I made so quickly and now I feel so lost. Just want to asko did you really shift courses po?
Did you shift po ba? Or you continued vet?
I also got an opportunity the same as you, but my parents want me to continue my current course.
Hi, I am also a nursing student and want to shift really badly into a culinary course but I always worry about my parents, and my tuition is already paid. I feel like it was too late to go back again as I am a 2nd year nursing student, and 2 years more and I will graduate. I feel like I am drowning myself in this path and I can't get out of it.
Hi im a third year vet student and currenlty planning on shiftinh to education can I ask if Nsgshift kaba? I dont know anymore Im so burn out and ung passio. Nawawala everyday I dread pagpasok every lecture . So any advice is appreciated .