Doing an expensive degree and disliking it - should i continue?
Hi i’m a 19 year old international uni student in my 2nd year in Australia. I didn’t really have any passion for anything after high school, so my only wish to my parents was something like “I wanna be an office worker” because that was the default view of corporate jobs I have. So mom selected me Commerce majoring Finance, I was ok.
Then I started doing it and didn’t have any enjoyment whatsoever with crunching numbers, stock analysis, shareholder values etc… I had decent grades but felt like I was never studying productively or gaining enough knowledge. Because I am an international, my fees are much much higher than domestic students so I felt guilty burdening my parents.
I started thinking about job prospects and staying in Australia, and I regretted doing a cookie cutter business degree I dislike, not even good at, doesn’t even have good job offers. I started wondering abt switching to another degree, e.g nursing, for more job opportunities, hands on placement, demand, etc. I also enjoy social work, humanitarian work and caring for other so I wanted to push myself and work hard for this.
My mom decided that since I’m already spending 2 years for this commerce degree and only have one year left, I should finish it and get a bachelor degree at least instead of wasting it. And yeah, if I switch, none of my credits will be counted towards nursing, which is more financial costs and additional 3 years. Plus we are not even sure I would enjoy nursing and not get burnt out.
But idk if Im making the right choice. I would still just be learning the bare minimum for my senior year. Everyone else seems to be enjoying their degree or at least looks forward to their future job, I can’t see myself as a finance girl anymore. I just thinkinf of spending another year feeling like a loser coasting by, wasting money just by doing jack shit witt this expensive degree. On the other hand I can totally understand my mom’s concerns.
She also suggested graduating, then pivoting to HR/ social work oriented job instead of pure finance, which seems okay. She also views staying back in australia and becoming an immigrant is too much hard work and struggle to handle, like becoming a 2nd class citizen, compared to coming back and working in a foreign country. Thoughts?