Am I Studying the Right Thing?

The awkward moment when you realise studying law isn’t like Suits.

You finally reached the end of semester at TAFE or university, and you should feel great. But instead, you have this unsettling feeling that the course you're studying just isn't right for you. 

Maybe you thought your course was going to be totally hands-on, but you’re spending more time writing essays than getting any real-life experience. Or perhaps you thought you’d love psychology, but now you can’t stand it.  

Regardless of your age, it’s tough to know which course is right for you. Like a lot of things in life, you don’t know until you try. You might have left school thinking you wanted to be a lawyer, only to realise that it’s not exactly like Suits.

These feelings can be confusing and overwhelming, but here’s the thing: it’s way more common than you think.

So, how do you know for sure that what you’re studying isn’t floating your boat?

You’re not that passionate about it.

Studying is a lot of effort. It takes energy, commitment and strong time-management skills. So, it is important to be passionate about what you are studying. Assignments and exams will always be somewhat draining, but if you love what you’re learning, it will feel worth it at the end of the day.

If you’re finding it impossible to attend lectures or start assignments because the content is so boring, it’s likely you’re not that passionate about what you’re studying. Everyone has days where they’re more disinterested than normal, but ideally, you should love what you’re studying.

If not, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate what you’re passionate about. 

You’re studying it because someone else wants you to.

It’s easy to fall victim to this trap: You’re not sure what you want to study, or what job you’d like to do, and your parents encourage you down a particular career path. It’s only natural for your parents to want to guide you, but they don’t always know what’s best for your future.

If your family pushed you to study medicine, but you have zero interest in health, it’s time to think about what you can see yourself doing.

You can’t imagine doing it as a job.

Ideally, the course you’re studying should lead you down a career path that excites you. However, if you’re enrolled in teaching, but you can’t imagine yourself being a teacher, you might want to consider whether what you’re studying is right for you.

If you’re not sure what kind of job you’d like, most institutions have a career counsellor that you can make an appointment with. Alternatively, you could head to our career matcher to explore more pathways.

It’s really stressing you out.

The reality is, studying is never going to be easy. Everyone faces the pressure of assignments, quizzes and exams, and sometimes it can feel super overwhelming. It’s important to have healthy coping strategies to manage study stress.

However, it might be time to consider alternative options if you feel like your course is not worth the stress. If you’re not enjoying the content, or studying in general, it’s important to talk to a trusted adult or friends about what you’re feeling.

Here’s what our members had to say.

If you’re not sure what you’re studying is right for you, you’re definitely not alone. The prospect of switching courses or taking time to reconsider your options can seem pretty daunting.

We asked our members how they knew what they were studying wasn’t right for them. Here are a few responses we received.

• When I was on my [teaching] prac, I just couldn’t imagine teaching for the rest of my life. I started looking up what other degrees I could do, and decided on a Master of Public Health… The signs I would look for are feeling anxious about your future, being worried about entering the workforce, and idealising different careers.
  Mikaela from WA
• I went into doing a degree in Speech Pathology after high school. The workload was so full on, and I struggled with the content even though I put a lot of hard work into studying… I decided to defer for a semester, and I realised I would love to pursue a job in the creative arts/media industry. So, I applied for a degree in media and was accepted!
  Lana from WA
• I started a Bachelor of Pharmacy in first semester this year. I ended up hating all of first semester, and realised I never wanted to be a pharmacist anyway. Now I’m studying a social work degree and the content is so much more engaging.
  Steph from Tasmania

Header Image: iStock.com/gorodenkoff