The cost of getting what you want, is getting what you thought you wanted

[403]

I've come to the realization that both my major and minor are in subject areas that I don't want to pursue for a living. All of my classes this semester are in either my major or minor field of study. So what do I do for the rest of this semester?

Comments

[siderea]

So what happened? Last I knew, which was admittedly some time ago, you seemed very certain and clear about what you wanted?

[403]

I seem to have gone and changed while I wasn't looking. Late last year, I found out that the department was going to make it a pain to graduate as a chemist* so I started looking at my other options. Then I went to compare those to what I'd get by pushing through, and what it would do to my potential career paths. I realized that I couldn't figure out how to weight the options because $careerfoo no longer has emotional resonance.

I'm willing to consider the possibility that I've lost my way in this mess because I'm burning out on school and that's interfering with my ability to care about anything related. But if so, the fix is the same - do something else for a while and come back fresh.

* The American Chemical Society has tight control over their curriculum, so there are few class substitutions. For reasons unknown beyond 'the committee refuses to schedule them', there's also a shortage of slots in required 1-credit labs, some of which are spring-only, and others fall-only.