Facing several crossroads, each more terrifying than the last and leading to completely different destinations, I am at a loss for what to do. Next year, I have to apply to colleges, and that is a downright terrifying thought on its own. My dread is further intensified because I have no idea what major to apply for. I realise that this is a life altering decision and I should think carefully about this. However, the more I think about it, the deeper I sink into this quicksand of uncertainty.

Feeling that I couldn’t find the answer on my own, I went to the school counsellor to discuss my major. I was expecting a detailed discussion and breakdown of the pros and cons of some possible majors that I was interested in. However, she only asked one question. “What’s your favourite subject?” After thinking for a moment, I hesitantly replied “law”. Then she proceeds to look at my grades and says, “You have good grades, so you’re good at it, and you enjoy it, and it pays well, so the choice is obvious. Don’t think too much about it, just pick that.”

I was convinced by this superficial argument, but my father, who is a lawyer, told me to at least see the work done by a lawyer. So I accompanied my father as he went to court, and I observed trials. That is what I expected the job to be like, but to my surprise, most of his work was completing an obscene amount of tedious paperwork. This was an eye-opening experience, as this was completely different from studying law as a subject and varied greatly from the glamorized representation in media which I was accustomed to.

This sudden realisation knocked some sense into my naive mind; We students know nothing about the real world. Partly because we are not taught about it in school. Education should provide us with theoretical knowledge and a realistic understanding of potential career paths so that we are reasonably equipped for our professional lives. While schools do provide us with theoretical knowledge, they often set unrealistic expectations for careers. If we are interested in a subject at school, it does not mean we will enjoy it in college, nor in a professional field. Some subjects might seem fun in school, but the actual career is often tedious, and students often fail to realize this. 

When applying to colleges, students whimsically pick a major; most often they just pick the subject they most enjoy. However, when they get to college, everything about their major and the work entailed by that career is completely different from their expectations. This is all because schools often fail to provide an accurate representation of professional work. This is the reason many people don’t pursue a career in what they studied in college; their expectations don't coincide with reality. This is a failure of the education system. 

To help students make this life-changing decision, I think schools should conduct special classes where students are tasked with the mock work of actual professionals. This will let students gain an accurate understanding of the work that professionals in a field do. In this way, they will have a clearer idea of whether they would be interested in doing this work for the rest of their lives. 

For History students, this might look like analyzing historical sources and judging their authenticity. Economics students could simulate market research. Law students should not only participate in a mock trial but also do all the notorious paperwork which students don’t realize is a predominant part of a lawyer’s job, because most cases don’t even go to trial.

This will help students pick their majors and careers more carefully and thoughtfully so that they do not waste their time studying a major in which they won’t even pursue a career. 

A realistic view of careers will help students like me to make informed career decisions and prevent career dissatisfaction down the road, ultimately fulfilling one of the main purposes of education.