The unnecessary burden of an abstract mind

I was told from a young age I could do anything, and after high school I attempted everything, but for a short time ended up with nothing. Fortunately this has been partially rectified when, despite my best efforts, I was finally awarded my bachelor's degree.

In past columns I have written at length on my early desires to become Batman, Indiana Jones, a Jedi and finally a writer. Unfortunately they do not offer classes in three of the aforementioned subjects (unless you count archeology).

The truth is I first entered college foolishly -- still unsure on a couple of important issues: Who I was and what I wanted to become.

As the years progressed, along with my student debt, I came to terms with the fact that I retain a certain personality type. Like a petulant child, I have the uncanny ability to become absolutely absorbed with a given topic, but after a short time, my interest ultimately wanes once the subject turns mundane.

A common cliche used to describe this behavior I have is I intellectually "cast a wide net," and have retained only the few unlucky fish that were caught between the twine.

The problem I had once I entered college was coming to terms with a viable career path.

For some people the answer is obvious. My sister, Lauren, just graduated from Butler University with a doctorate in pharmacy. Before going to college there was little doubt in her mind which career she wanted to pursue. I have always envied her decisive nature and earnestly wished I could possess that quality.

But for many people who enter college, choosing a career is not so simple, because a declaration of one major or another creates permanence.

When I worked for the Statesman newspaper at Indiana State University (ISU), I was allowed access to the massive amount of data and statistics.

While at the Statesman, I wrote an article on graduation rates. I found the average student graduates in six years, the next highest demographic follows in eight and the smallest in four. The correlation, I learned, was it was not that the students were struggling in their given major, instead, the more often a student changed their major, the longer it set them back to graduate.

This concept appears so simple it seems unnecessary to print, but combined with the fact it is estimated that the average student switches majors at least three times over their collegiate endeavors, and 50 to 75 percent of all students will at least change their majors at least once, it raises the question: Is the traditional view of college as four year institutes still viable?

During the course of my college education, I have switched majors considerably, much more than the average student, a total of seven times.

Being a veteran of switching majors, one item I learned is once a student changes their educational path, it increases the amount of time they are in school at a minimum of one semester, but more often an entire school year.

I think the greatest error I committed during my college years was to not critically examine what career I wanted to pursue. I would further argue it would have been in my best interest to forgo college for a year until I was more certain on my career path.

I am not advocating that people should not go college, instead if a student plans on attending college, I would advise them to be wary of the caveat that every time your major is changed, it sets you back a fair amount in your educational path.

My college years, numerous as they were, has made me who I am today and I am both grateful and relieved that I have finally reached an end.

To the soon to be high school graduates who will ceremoniously receive their diplomas soon, keep in mind that is okay if you do not know who you want to be when you grow up. Rarely anyone does. But keep in mind that colleges are a business and if you are uncertain on which career path you wish to embark, please take the time to consider all avenues before both investing your money and more importantly, your time.

Grant is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at (812) 847-4487, ext. 19. He can also be reached via email at gkarazsia@gmail.com.