When a student first starts college, he or she may be a bit nervous but usually upbeat and excited as well. The future seems set and assured. As classes progress, however, you might start feeling listless; you stop sleeping well or you sleep longer and more often, finding concentration difficult. Classes are no longer interesting or challenging. You might have a vague feeling of dissatisfaction underlying every emotion or thought. Odds are that you are depressed about the course of study—the career path that lies ahead. Fortunately, if the chosen career path is the culprit, there are things you can do to make a change.
Career Paths That Cause Depression
First, determine if the chosen career path is one that is prone to cause depression in workers:
1. Child Care and Nursing Home Workers
2. Food Service and Hospitality Industry
3. Social Workers
4. Health Care Professionals
5. Entertainers, Writers, and Other Artists
6. Teachers
7. Administrative Assistants
8. Maintenance
9. Accountants
10. Sales
While you may not be actively working yet in any of those fields, if you are prone to depression, the above career path choices may not be healthy ones.
Personal Checklist
If you feel depressed in school, and the symptoms emerged after school started or when faced with a career path already determined prior to starting, the career path itself may be the cause. To determine if the chosen career path may be the culprit, create an in-depth, honest and comprehensive checklist.
In one column, list every personality trait you possess, whether positive or negative. Because no one else need see the list, be brutally honest, even if the results paint an uncomfortable picture.
Categorize the results list: Which entries may influence career path choices? For example, if an entry reads that you dislike large crowds, public service may not be an optimal career path. If you are usually an outgoing humanitarian, some type of public service career may be optimal.
In a second column, list activities or hobbies you like then the ones you dislike. Prioritize the list from most enjoyed to least enjoyed.
In the third column, outline working conditions that would be optimal and detested. Prioritize the entries from most preferred to least preferred.
Review each column for the positive aspects in each. Create a fourth column listing the top five entries in each column.
That fourth column forms the platform from which an optimal career path may emerge.
Examine Current Career Path
Create a three-column chart that is separate from the prior lists.
In the first column, list every aspect of the career path that comes to mind. Include time, expense, crucial aspects, and other items that come to mind.
In the second column, recreate the first column into a pros and cons comparison list. List each item in the first column as positive if you like that aspect or as a negative if you dislike it.
In the third column, note whether each item matches an attribute in the fourth column of the first list.
You should be able to determine if your current career path is one that fits your abilities and preferences. If it does match, your depression may be caused by other factors. If it doesn’t match, it may be time to determine what career path does suit you better.
Optimal Career Paths
If necessary, create that three-column list for career paths that theoretically or truly do appeal to you. If a clear-cut choice presents itself or confirms a secret wish, you may want to change your course of study into a lifetime career in which you will be happier.
If you are unable to clearly and without hesitation identify a career that may be more satisfying, don’t be afraid to consult your support structure. Friends who know you well and who will be forthright or university faculty can often help you determine other options.
Once you determine an optimal career path, change your major if needed, your minor if needed, and put yourself on the right path for your life’s work.
Remember: it’s your life. No one can live it but you.
About the Author
JC Ryan is a freelance writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them understand which online courses and online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.
