I'm scared I have made a mistake in choice of major....

[Precious Savage]

Hi,

so, I'm majoring in criminal justice...

I graduated high school a few years ago, and to be honest I took a break from high school and looked for a part time job, and blah blah blah, I entered college out of so much nagging from my parents.

I just, yeah, looked for something that would keep me a stable job. Something concrete. Now that I am a junior in college, I did some research on what I can do with this degree after I graduate...and so far, I am left a little scared and intimidated. I look at a few options and so far I don't like any of them. I am truly regretting this now, and I am scared to bits.

If I quit right now, I can only imagine the amount of debt I am going to have to pay.
I wanted to go to art school, but since my friend took graphic art and design, she is left jobless after so many years, and i was scared I would have end up the same.

My family even pressured me into taking up something that wont be like that. I wish I could have takened the chance though.

I'm so stressed out, I want a "happy" future. als;kdj;falksdjf;lakj
I feel so ******** stupid.

What would you do??


Thank you for your time in reading this!

[Majikkani_Hand]

If you think you can at all bring yourself to finish, finish. The thing is, you don't necessarily have to get a job in your field--but you need a diploma to get a job that's halfway decent. Some jobs don't even care what your degree is in, as long as you have one. Even when they do, still apply--often getting jobs outside your field (that aren't super technical, like chemical research) is going to be largely a matter of spin--figure out what have you done in your studies that tangentially relates to the job you're applying for, and then sell the crap out of it. If it's not too late to add a minor, you might consider that (pick something generic, like writing or business--ideally one that you can use to fulfill major requirements or general ed if your school will let you) to help make spinning your resume easier.

You also don't have to like any of them right off the bat. If you think only the jobs in your major will let you pay off your loans, you can always start out in one of those, and use that experience to do lateral moves until you end up somewhere more palatable. It's just about surviving until then, and taking good care of yourself during the more suck-tastic time...and remember, all the best stories are stuff that was awful as ******** at the time. biggrin

[Vardoger]

I am 100% in agreement with the last poster.

But what is it you want to do in art, exactly? Are you already good at drawing or do you need more training/practice? You could always attempt to declare a minor. It may take some more money but it is a half-way compromise. If you're already pretty great at art, then you can apply your criminal justice major to an art-related job. For instance, if you're good at drawing, why not be a criminal sketch artist?

[legnanellaf5]

Dont worry too much about your degree, just get it. Because you cant really do anything about the market right now, and you dont need to get a job in your field. Just do the work.

Art is a very risky thing to get into. Its hard to live on it.