I Don't Even Know What I'm Interested In...
Try the following strategies to help you work through this phase:
q Take interest and personality inventories at the Piper Center. Just make an appointment to meet with a coach, and they will help you determine which assessment is most appropriate for you.
q Browse the online list of academic majors and programs.
Click on "catalog" next to each department for a quick description of that field of study and an overview of the information presented in the academic catalog. Or, click on the name of each department to go to its website to learn more about it. Note a few departments that seem interesting to you.
q For each department of interest, choose two courses from the Academic Catalog that appear particularly interesting from their titles and descriptions, regardless of which level they are. Record their titles and numbers, then go to the bookstore and review the books assigned for those classes.
q Ask people who know you well (relatives, friends, supervisors) where they think your interests, skills, and values lie.
q Journaling is another excellent way to work through the self-assessment process. Helpful questions to ponder include:
- What do you enjoy doing? (Time passes very quickly when you're doing it.....It's so natural you can't help but do it)
- What did you always enjoy doing as a kid? How did you spend your free time?
- What do you most enjoy thinking about? Where do your thoughts seem to wander?
- How do opinions or outside influences (family, friends, professors, etc.) impact your academic/experiential/career choices?
- Where do you see yourself 5 years from now...how about 10?
