Five Misunderstandings for Choosing Majors 选择大学专业的5个误区

Choosing a major solely based on money

完全基于收入选择专业

The mistake happens when youre choosing a major solely based on money. You need to also consider your passions， your dislikes， and most importantly， your happiness. Can you see yourself investing the next 40 years or so in this career without getting bored？

The truth is， choosing a major with highpaying career options will not actually guarantee you a high-paying job. It will all depend on position openings and your competitors when you graduate.

如果你完全基于收入选择专业，那就错了。你还需要考虑个人好恶，最重要的是，你的幸福感。你能想象未来 40 多年投身于某个职业而不感到厌倦吗？

事实上，选择一个有高薪职业的专业并不能保证你能得到一份高薪工作。这将完全取决于你毕业时的职位空缺和竞争对手。

Taking hobby as a career

把兴趣当成热爱的事业

There is a balance that should be maintained when youre choosing a major. You want to pick something that interests you， but you need to be sure that you wont get sick of it as time progresses.

Often times， people will confuse their hobbies with their passions. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a hobby as “a pursuit outside ones regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation”.

Choosing a major based on your passion means pursuing what you love despite all the work that goes into it. When evaluating your choices， you should think ahead to how you might feel about the field by the time you finish college.

选择专业时，应该注意平衡。你想挑选自己感兴趣的专业，但是需要确保你不会随着时间的推移对它们产生厌倦。

很多时候，人们会把自己的爱好和热爱混为一谈。《韦氏词典》将愛好定义为“在日常工作之外的一种追求，特别是为了放松”。

基于热爱选择专业意味着你不管付出多少努力都要追求所爱的东西。在评估你的选择时，你应该提前考虑到大学毕业时你对这个专业的感觉。

Choosing the major without research

不做功课，凭感觉选择专业

Being interested in a major is a start， but dont stop there. Researching the field will help you be sure that a major is right for you. If you know someone in the field or with that major， ask them for some input.

Consider the entire journey youll pursue— what kind of coursework the major demands， how many years of school youll need， and what job prospects will be available to you with a degree. If youve done your investigating and youre still interested， dip your toes in before you commit. Try to get some experience— shadow someone in a business office.

Many times， the idea of a specific major is better than the reality for students who enter it blindly. A little research before choosing a major will go a long way to prepare you for whats in store.

对一个专业感兴趣只是开始，但不要止步于此。对这个专业做些研究有助于你确定自己是否适合。如果你在该领域或专业有熟识的人，可以向他们征求一些意见。

考虑一下你的求学之路，你的专业需要修哪些课程，你需要多少年的学习时间，以及获得学位后有什么样的工作前景。如果你已经做了调查，而且仍然感兴趣，那么在做出决定之前，先试着接触这个领域。尝试获得一些经验，跟着一个职场人实地参观学习。

很多时候，对于盲目选择某个专业的学生来说，现实比理想更骨感。在选择专业之前做一点研究会让你为未来做好准备。

Parents choose the major for you

父母让你选择这个专业

The opinions of your friends and family arent something to ignore， but the choice is ultimately yours. Youre the one doing the work and earning the degree. Youll only truly enjoy and succeed in the field if you wanted to be in it in the first place.

If  anyone  wants  to  help  you  in choosing a major and you whole-heartedly agree with their opinions， then go with it. But if you want your future to go in any other direction， speak up . Explain your side— what makes you so passionate about choosing a different major.

Remember  that  college  is  an investment of both your time and money. The only way to get the best outcome is to shape your own future.

朋友和家人的意见不容忽视，但最终还是你自己的选择。你才是那个为之付出努力并获得学位的人。首先你自己要喜欢这个专业，你才会真正享受并取得成功。

如果有人想帮你选择专业，而你又完全同意他们的意见，那没问题。但如果你想让你的未来朝着其他方向发展，那就说出来吧。阐明你的立场——你希望选择其他专业的原因是什么。

记住，上大学是一种时间和金钱的投资。获得最佳回报的唯一方法就是亲手打造自己的未来。

The major is too difficult to learn

这个专业不好学

Dont settle. Youre passionate about a field of study and youve researched it . You found that its a lot of work， which is a little intimidating. However，  if youre  mot iv at ed  enough  t o succeed， you can earn the degree.

Honestly， there is no such thing as an “easy” major  anyway. From  an  outside perspective，  it  may seem simple，  but the students doing the work can probably tell you some horror stories . Every major has them . Never take the “easy” road when it comes to your future.

别将就。你对某个专业充满热爱，而且你已经做过研究。你发现需要下很大的功夫，这让你有点望而生畏。然而，如果对成功的渴望让你有足够的动力，你就可以獲得学位。

老实说，根本就没有所谓的“轻松”专业。从旁观者的角度来看，这个专业可能很简单。但这个专业的学生可能会告诉你一些令人恐怖的故事，每个专业都有。在关系到你的未来时，千万不要走“轻松”的路。