I need advice, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up?

If you can, try going undeclared first off. If not, pick something that sounds good as you’ll be able to change it later (assuming you aren’t on a specific scholarship and so on).
You will probably be taking mostly required foundation courses your first couple semesters, too, so don’t worry too much about lost time. In this time you’ll get a sense for what draws you in.

Hell, I changed my major three times before I found out – but it took me taking varied classes to find out what I liked (and really didn’t like!).

Spend the first part getting your general credits, and explore the possibilities as you go. You can make good use of the career research people there also. I wish you all the best!

Usually your first couple years are general education stuff. You aren’t locked into anything. I changed my major after discovering what I thought I wanted to do was the most horrible thing in the world.

Are you near college age? Your local community college should have a career counseling dept.

What was that, @johnpowell?

Don’t worry about it. Nobody starts off knowing who they want to be. Just focus on doing well in school now and getting your college applications in. Your first couple of years of college will be your time to decide what path you want to take.

@Jeruba :: Accounting

Yourself, only bigger. (HA HA! I have to give that one to my son! It was his response when I asked him, when he was about 13, what he wanted to be when he grew up!)

Yeah, I’m currently going to college and I still have no idea what I want to be. I have a year and a half to figure it out, so I really hope something jumps out at me. Do your research and try to stick with one of your passions. I can’t imagine anything worse than getting stuck in a career you don’t really care about and will hate for the rest of your life.

I was majoring in physics when I took an elective class to fill an art requirement called “Techniques in Metal Design”. It turned out to be a jewelry making class. I spent the next 12 years as a jeweler.

In other words, choose something you think you might want, but be open to the possibilities that open up to you.

I recommend picking a job that’s easy and will pay off, if you choose a job that you think will like, you probably will end up hating it eventually.

I sing, too. Quite well, I’m told. Perhaps you could say I’m almost professional, or a professional amateur. It is very hard to earn a living doing it, and if you look at the industry today, almost impossible to break through. Having said that, never give up on your dreams. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Why do you have to study music to be a singer/musician? How many of the pros even studied? The late Irivng Berlin (you’re young, google him) never learned to read notes: he played all his songs in the key of F and someone else did the orchestration for him.

You like to help people? Great. There’s more than medicine. Psychology, Social Work, Teaching, Geriatrics – hell – it’s endless. Maybe start a general degree, and find your strengths as you go along. Take voice, and see where that takes you at the same time.

My Journalism Prof. told me that he worked in construction while he studied. That inspired me a lot. Don’t limit yourself.

And good luck, and welcome to fluther.

@Samurai I suppose that’s better than choosing a job you hate right off the bat! :)

Anyhow, it’s not unheard of to have different careers during a lifetime..

To follow up on what @Zen just said, what about Human Services? Not too narrow, but encompasses all the helping professions.

Your future has not yet been mapped. Feel free to explore any side roads you want. And resist the impulse to pick a destination. Life is about the journey. If you pick a place you want to go, you will inevitably end up somewhere else. That could disappoint you. However, if you just leave yourself open to serendipity, you can never go anywhere other than where you want to.

Don’t feel alone.
I’ve never had the slightest idea of what I’d like to do with my life.
I’m now 20 and in my 5th semester of community college.

I don’t know what I want to do either. Take this time to explore your interests.

Listen to this song. :)

(BTW, I’m 60 and I’m in College so that I can have a job when I grow up.)

@saraaaaaa Great video! I have rarely wore sunscrean in my entire life though.

Oh wait, in the description it states that sun screen can cause cancer because its toxic, and that sun light can prevent cancer because it has vitamin D.

@saraaaaaa Oh I love that one. I always say “wear sunscreen” thinking of that. Lurve.

Why thank you lurvlies. That song always makes me feel that life will work out ^^

While I knew what I wanted to do when I got to college, I changed my mind a bit while I was there. It helps that some schools tell you to fill in credits that you can take wherever you want. I got a biology degree but I supplemented my random electives with art classes. A lot of my friends decided to take a second degree, one for their “pay me money” job and one for their “dream job.” But yeah, there’s no rush to decide. Just try out a bunch of different classes until you find what you like.

I’ve heard that most people don’t even get a job in the field they majored in, so you shouldn’t feel like you’re stuck with whatever you end up majoring in.

Hmmmm . . . maybe you could teach music? Like a voice coach or something? Helping people – check, music – check.

Personally I don’t recommend medicine if you aren’t sure you want to do it, as it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. And you don’t want to feel that you made a mistake a year down the line.
How about English? There is a certain amount or art to it and it is useful for many career options such as teaching? Take singing lessons as a side project to maintain your enthusiasm and see if it will lead you there and also see if your college has any clubs or singing groups that you could maybe go somewhere with?

I was an English major, tuturing other students when I took an elective class to fill an art requirement called “Techniques in Metal Design”. It turned out to be a jewelry making class. I spent the next 12 years as a jeweler. You never know what can be and where you’ll find a passion.

even the grown up don’t know what they want to be, I once heard from someone that the most interesting people do not know what they want to do well into their 20s or 30s

or 60s?

I’m on my third career in my 40’s.

@ru2bz46 My fourth career in my forties and I really don’t know what I wanna be when I grow up (hope I never grow up)

When I graduated HS, I had friends who knew what they wanted to do, and friends who didn’t.
The ones who knew were the ones whose lives crashed 5 or 10 years later, and had trouble finding their footing before going in different directions.
The ones who started out lost, and found their way were settled and happy at the 10 year point.

@Zen I’m already tiring of writing software, but I have 12 years to go before retirement. I’ve started teaching yoga, so I’ll probably do that after I retire. I can’t wait!

@ru2bz46 At least you balance it out with Yoga. If you have stuck it out thus far and have 12 to go, I’d stick it out to the end too. Then golf – Yahoooooooooooooo!

@Zen I’m too young to golf…always will be. ;-)

You don’t have to know; almost everyone changes their mind during the first or second year. No one ever tells high school students that, for some reason. But it’s useful to know.

Music Therapist

Go to college, make the most of the experience and let the future take care of itself. You will change your mind many times.

Take what you’re interested in. Then take something dull and practical to go with it. Theater companies need marketing. Magazines need accountants. Art galleries need someone to write their brochures. Et cetera.

You probably won’t become a professional singer, just like I didn’t become a professional fiction writer. Yet. But if you remain connected with singing through college while pursuing something practical as well, you’re more likely to get a job in that industry. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather write lifeless business documents for an art gallery than a marketing firm.