2008 Woodie Awards
Decisions, Decisions - Choosing a Career
A message from the YCSA President
Josh Goldsmith
Issue date: 12/27/04 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Ben Stein once said, "The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want" - easier said than done. As college students, we are often told we are at the prime of our lives. I don't think people understand how much of a burden we truly have. Even if it is not a financial or physical burden, we are faced with the overwhelming fact that the decisions we make now are guaranteed to have an effect on the rest of our lives.
As the fall semester comes to a close and registration for the spring semester rapidly approaches, many first or second-year students, having taken most of their core requirements, are forced to make the tough decision of choosing a major. This is especially difficult for those students who have come back from Israel, who have used up all their elective credits and therefore cannot afford to explore different majors. Depending on one's profession, one's undergraduate major can be quite important. I personally found it especially difficult to settle on a major and decided to pick up a minor as well, enabling me to keep certain doors open. Those for whom this is not an option must try and imagine what they might be happy and/or successful doing for the rest of their lives.
Choosing a major is not the final decision in the career-choosing process. Once you become a senior in college this decision and the hardship involved in making it seems to grow exponentially. It is the end of the line of your collegiate career and you are forced to make the decision then and there; you've crept your way to the edge of the diving board and now it is time to jump. Your inability to tell the future forces you to take a leap of faith. Those lucky individuals who already have their lives set still have the burden of figuring out the best way to achieve this plan. For us unfortunate individuals, whose futures are still hazy, this can be a frustrating and nerve-racking stage of our lives.
Some are able to push off their decision by spending another year learning or participating in a fellowship program, for instance, utilizing these extended time opportunities offered by Yeshiva to do some true introspection. Some find that these opportunities open their eyes to careers they had never even considered.
The yoke of this decision rests solely on our shoulders; these years form the foundation of our lives and it is therefore our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that we make the right decisions. Yeshiva University offers us much in the way of guidance, whether it be through the Rebbeim, Sgan Mashgichim, OPCS, the Academic Advisement Center, or professors. It is quite important to utilize these assets to help you vocalize your options and to possibly receive new insights. Personally, I have found the most helpful advice comes from your peers. Your fellow students have experienced the same thoughts and are going through the same decision-making process as you, making them one of the most valuable tools in your inventory. Since we have all been in the same boat, we are all equipped to help each other through it. Struggling through the process together makes it that much easier to arrive at the correct decisions for each of us.
As the fall semester comes to a close and registration for the spring semester rapidly approaches, many first or second-year students, having taken most of their core requirements, are forced to make the tough decision of choosing a major. This is especially difficult for those students who have come back from Israel, who have used up all their elective credits and therefore cannot afford to explore different majors. Depending on one's profession, one's undergraduate major can be quite important. I personally found it especially difficult to settle on a major and decided to pick up a minor as well, enabling me to keep certain doors open. Those for whom this is not an option must try and imagine what they might be happy and/or successful doing for the rest of their lives.
Choosing a major is not the final decision in the career-choosing process. Once you become a senior in college this decision and the hardship involved in making it seems to grow exponentially. It is the end of the line of your collegiate career and you are forced to make the decision then and there; you've crept your way to the edge of the diving board and now it is time to jump. Your inability to tell the future forces you to take a leap of faith. Those lucky individuals who already have their lives set still have the burden of figuring out the best way to achieve this plan. For us unfortunate individuals, whose futures are still hazy, this can be a frustrating and nerve-racking stage of our lives.
Some are able to push off their decision by spending another year learning or participating in a fellowship program, for instance, utilizing these extended time opportunities offered by Yeshiva to do some true introspection. Some find that these opportunities open their eyes to careers they had never even considered.
The yoke of this decision rests solely on our shoulders; these years form the foundation of our lives and it is therefore our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that we make the right decisions. Yeshiva University offers us much in the way of guidance, whether it be through the Rebbeim, Sgan Mashgichim, OPCS, the Academic Advisement Center, or professors. It is quite important to utilize these assets to help you vocalize your options and to possibly receive new insights. Personally, I have found the most helpful advice comes from your peers. Your fellow students have experienced the same thoughts and are going through the same decision-making process as you, making them one of the most valuable tools in your inventory. Since we have all been in the same boat, we are all equipped to help each other through it. Struggling through the process together makes it that much easier to arrive at the correct decisions for each of us.