Crystal Clear, Razor Sharp

University life is meant to prepare a person for the future. If you ask most students WHY they are throwing thousands of dollars down each semester, their answer will usually include a reference to a career. “They have a really good economics program,” says one. “I want to play in such-and-such orchestra and they are more likely to give you an audition if you have studied music theory,” says another. “I’m only here until law school,” replies a third.

So why don’t I feel prepared?

I’m a sophomore now, studying psychology. I am almost halfway through this program (or I still have half left, if you are a pessimist) and I still don’t know what I am going to do.

There are numerous possibilities, of course. There’s school counseling, but I don’t think I could listen to bratty girls whine about catfights and whether or not they should sleep with the quarterback. There’s professional counseling, which pays great, but I don’t feel like I could actually be much help. Criminal counseling is out of the question, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Same with child psychology. How do you listen to a 13-year-old girl talk about how daddy has molested her since she was six and then go home to dinner?

There are a lot of other options as well, but I made my point, right? I have an interest in this field, I just don’t know what I should do. Next semester I will need to gear my classes more toward a specific field. I have 15 weeks left, and I can’t decide. At this point in time it feels like I should have all the answers. My life is a classic standardized test, just like everyone else’s – all I need to do is fill in the bubbles. I’ve got my No.2 pencil, but I haven’t studied.