It’s ok to change your mind!
I have recently been faced with a bit of a dilemma. Half way through the module I am currently doing as part of my degree I realised two things, 1. that I’m not really enjoying the course as much as I thought I would and 2. that it didn’t cover the topics I thought it would and that would be useful for my choice of career (and this is probably why I wasn’t enjoying it so much). I then looked at my future modules in more depth and, whilst I did this before I enrolled on the course, with the experience of some of the modules already under my belt I was equipped with more insight than I had back then.
At first I had a little inner panic. Why had I signed up to a course that didn’t cover what I actually need for my choice of career? I should have done way more research before committing. Surely I’ve made my bed and now I have to lie in it!
I then took a little step back - possibly a first for me as usually once I go into panic mode I can’t easily pull myself out of that ‘end of the world’ mentality - and remembered a few very important things. Firstly, since signing up for my degree my choice of career has changed slightly as I have received more information and experience in a specific area. I still want to talk about sex for a living (honestly, I don’t know who wouldn’t want to talk about sex for living!!) but this first year of uni has actually helped me pin point exactly how I want to go about that. So it’s not that I signed up to a course that wasn’t compatible with my career choice, it’s just that my career choice looks a bit different to what it did a year ago.
Secondly, and probably most importantly, it was only my pride that made me feel like I had no choice but to see through what I started. I was a little embarrassed at having to say “I think I made the wrong decision” because I’m human and often humans don’t like being wrong! But the point here is, it wasn’t the wrong decision at the time I made it and, even better, now that I have new information, I am allowed to change my mind.
Anyway, long story short, I called student services to talk through my needs and the subjects I need to cover to get to where I want to be and from October I will be studying for a different degree to what I originally signed up for. And the best part, the modules I have already done still count (although even if this wasn’t the case, it still wouldn’t matter, I’d just have a few extra pounds added to my already scary looking student loan)!
Why am I telling you this? I think human beings are very good at sticking to things even when it doesn’t fit with what we want or who we are any more and we don’t always give ourselves the opportunities to change and grow because we have been conditioned to think we always have to lie in the bed that we’ve made. Changing our minds can feel like a sign of weakness but I believe it should be seen as a strength. It means we have grown in some way due to new information, new doors being opened for us or even simply the realisation that change is needed for better mental health. For me, this particular change of mind was based on all three of these things.
So, make those exciting decisions and start your journey, whatever you think that looks like right now, but do this safe in the knowledge that, if further down the road you want to change your direction, you absolutely can and that should be exciting!
