DR. WALLACE: My aspirations in life are rather ordinary, but today, they feel unattainable. Right now, I’m 18, and I hope to one day get married, buy a house and have children, but I just can’t imagine how I’ll ever be able to afford all of the expenses this would entail.
Homeownership seems out of reach in most U.S. states given the conditions of the current real estate market. And once I graduate from college in a few years, I will have student loan debt that will take me years to pay off. I know I’m still young and shouldn’t necessarily have to worry about all of these things right now, but I feel like my financial situation will never be good enough for me to achieve my basic dreams unless I somehow find a way to make a lot more money than I ever thought I would need to make.
So now this has me worried about my career choices, which then makes me worried about which major I should pursue in college. I’m thinking about looking into which majors produce graduates that earn the most money right out of college. There are many careers I’m potentially interested in, but I don’t think they will end up paying me enough to get out of debt, so I might need to go for a big corporate job of some kind, right? This means something like Business Administration would be the best major for me to pursue? — Worried about debt, via email
WORRIED ABOUT DEBT: I advise you not to select your university major simply based upon which will give you the highest starting salary out of college.
As a young person in 2022, it will be hard enough to know what the marketplace will be like in our fast-changing world when you graduate in approximately 2026.
The velocity of change in many aspects of life is far greater today than at any point in human history. So many things change so rapidly today in a four-year period of time.
Going forward from here, four years of changes might be similar to 10 to 12 years of changes just a decade or so ago. Therefore, I suggest that you follow your passions, follow your interests or follow your hobbies. Look around at the potential majors you could study and see which one truly makes you enthusiastic about learning more and going deeper into the knowledge of that particular subject.
It’s important to have desire and passion to learn a subject based on your interests since this will sustain and enhance your ability to read and consume more about a topic you find interesting rather than one you simply are trying to achieve for the largest entry-level salary.
Another point to consider is that certain people become experts over time in various fields. If you truly have a passion for a particular subject, your learning curve will be rapidly accelerating as you go forward. Within five to 10 years, you can truly master a niche that may ultimately become much more financially rewarding 10, 20 or even 30 years after you graduate than simply pursuing a business administration degree, for example.
Also, take note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing a business administration degree! All I’m saying is simply make sure that the general business world or finding out how to become an entrepreneurial wizard is your true passion before you enter that particular field.
In the end, your ability to earn money within a career has many facets to it, so go forward with confidence in your abilities and passions and trust that you will indeed make ends meet successfully over time. I have faith in you and in all teens that work hard and apply themselves to do this. Create a plan that interests and motivates you, then work that plan in a field of study you’re truly passionate about.
“BINGO” IS NOT DEPRESSED!
DR. WALLACE: I just read a past column of yours where you stated that alcohol is a “depressant” substance! Let me tell you something: When my buddies and I get lit up with a few drinks on a Saturday night, we are anything but depressed. I’d even say it makes my good friend, “Bingo,” more than happy! He goes from the quiet, sullen guy he is all week and turns into a guy who is the life of the party! He even tells jokes, which is something he would never do during the week. I therefore say you are completely wrong about this. — Party guy, via email
PARTY GUY: Alcohol indeed is a depressant and is considered as such because it slows down the central nervous system and the vital activities it controls. Over time, alcohol’s sedative effects outweigh the initial euphoric rush that some like you and your friends feel early on after its consumption.
I stand by my previous comments and respectfully suggest you do further research on this topic.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
