🐚QuietDeer392Helpful Perspectives Given: 0Member since Recently
Perspective requested:People older than me
I'm about to start my senior year and I feel like I've somehow made it all the way here before realizing I might not want the thing I've been working toward for years. I've been a biology major since freshman year because I always planned on going to medical school. Everyone knows that's what I'm doing. My family talks about it constantly, my friends think that's my future, and honestly I thought it was too. The problem is that the closer I get to actually applying, the less excited I am. I don't hate biology and I don't hate medicine, but whenever I picture myself actually becoming a doctor I don't feel excited. Mostly I just feel stressed. Meanwhile, the thing I've enjoyed most in college has been writing. I've written for the school paper, done some freelance stuff online, and every time I'm working on something writing-related I completely lose track of time. The idea of changing directions this late sounds insane though. My parents have spent a lot helping me get through school and I know they'd support me eventually, but I also know they'd be shocked. Sometimes I think maybe everyone feels this way before a big career decision and I should just push through it. Other times I feel like I'm about to spend the next 40 years doing something because I was too scared to admit I wanted something else. I genuinely don't know which possibility scares me more.
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3 Perspectives Received
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Been Through ThisChanged 1 perspective
🦌 MistyCloud509
I was pre-med for two years and the worst part was feeling like I had already told too many people that was my plan. It felt embarrassing to change, even though literally nobody cared as much as I thought they would. I'm not saying you should drop medicine immediately, but I do think the fact that writing is the only thing that makes you lose track of time is worth taking seriously. Being close to a path doesn't mean you owe it the rest of your life.
Career PerspectiveChanged 2 perspectives
🦌 HiddenMaple630
From a career perspective, you don't have to frame this as medicine versus writing forever. There are paths that combine science and communication, like medical writing, health journalism, research communications, public health content, or science education. You might be assuming the only choices are doctor or random freelance writer, but your biology background could still matter even if you don't go to med school.
Different Viewpoint
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HiddenOtter209
I'll give a slightly different take. I don't think every career needs to be your passion. A lot of people like the stability their job gives them more than the job itself. But there's a difference between not being obsessed with medicine and feeling trapped every time you picture the future. Before making a huge decision, I'd talk to doctors, writers, advisors, maybe even take a gap year if possible. Don't decide only from panic.
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