Messing up the big things is not a death sentence.
Christina Lu/BuzzFeed
Why it feels like the end of the world: Because you've just spent thousands of dollars and four years to figure out that you absolutely hate your major. And now the only way to pay down that debt is to do the thing that you hate… professionally.
Why it's totally fine: In the vast majority of cases*, no one cares what you got your college degree in, just that you got one. If a college degree is like bad-tasting medicine, your major is more or less just the flavoring you chose to swallow it with. College is about learning how to think, communicate, problem solve, and be good with current technology — that means all the time you spent making gifs for Tumblr in Photoshop is good experience too. And you can do all these things (or not do them!) with any major that you choose. If anything, having a diverse background (and showing that you acquired diverse skills) makes you an asset.
But again, the only people who regularly ask about college majors are usually people in college, or people who are living in the past. No one else really cares.
*(There are obviously a few very specific exceptions to this, especially if you're a humanities major who realizes your calling is medicine or science — but even if you are one of the unlucky few who find yourself in this situation, you already have a good critical thinking background, so you aren't truly starting from the bottom again. Plus, if it's your calling — and not just a retroactive back-up career — you will find a way to make it work.)
Why it feels like the end of the world: Everyone has awesome travel pictures, you have major FOMO, and you worry that between career and kids you have missed your chance.
Why it's totally fine: Travel is one of those few opportunities that everyone has — regardless of age — to try new things and be crazy. Waiting until you're a little older, or even much older, to travel means that you will not only have more money to spend, but you give yourself something to look forward to and be excited about as you get older. Growing up and more stable comes with a host of perks — being able to afford your dream vacation is one of them.
Why it feels like the end of the world: Because you have no idea how you are supposed to explain this in job interviews. It can seem like you will never get a job again, not with that big fat scarlet F on your chest… the F standing for "fired," "failure," and "fuuuuuuuck I am so screwed."
Why it's totally fine: Getting fired can happen to anyone, so you are going to learn how to address it at some point. People get fired for not being a good fit. People get fired for silly political reasons. People also get fired for being bad or tired of their jobs. How you talk about being fired in an interview is the most important part: "[The name of the company that fired me] wasn't a good fit, but now I'm excited to find my next opportunity." Showing that you are a person who takes things in stride and learns from their mistakes is valuable — arguably even more valuable than a person who has never had to learn anything the hard way.
Another plus: Showing that you've learned from being shit-canned means that some other poor employer got to shell out the cash to teach you a lesson that your new employer will now reap the benefits of for free!
