Six Pieces of Advice I Wish I Had Known Before Going to College

31 Aug 2025 #misc

I met a mom and her young girl about to start college. Like most teenagers, she was struggling to choose a major in college.

I was no different. I didn’t know what to choose either. My problem was that I had too many options. I’ve struggle to choose a single passion since always.

I ended up picking the major the dislike the least.

Here’s what I wish I had known before going to college:

1. Understand you don’t have to go to college. If decide not to do so, you’d have to come up with your own alternative plan. Maybe start a business or self educate.
2. Find an intersection between subjects you like and subjects with “employability” options. Again, understand you don’t have to follow the traditional path and go to a 9-5.
3. Don’t simply choose going to college and a particular major just because your parents did the same. Don’t simply go to med school, just because your dad is a doctor.
4. Learn as many skills you can. Among those, learn a manual skill: how to cut hair, make desserts…
5. Have as many options along side to going to college. Try to answer what if you don’t get accepted at XYZ college to major in ABC. What would you do then?
6. Understand you don’t have to stick to a single career for life. In this day and age, we have to reinvent ourselves way more often than our parents.