re-eval·u·ate
ˌrēiˈvalyo͞oˌāt/
verb
verb: reevaluate
- evaluate again or differently.
(Oxford Dictionary)
There are times in our lives where we feel the need to reevaluate our choices whether it's a job, a relationship, or a college major. The definition of reevaluate gives us some great insight as to how we need to view things again or (keyword) differently. When it comes to choosing your major, the hope is that you will stick to that major until you graduate with your degree. After all, you took a lot of time and effort to choose your major. But every so often, you want to take a step back and look at the big picture. For some of us who have personalities that live in the moment and do not like to look beyond today, that might be difficult. In the long run, though, we want to step out of our comfort zone and really look at our chosen path. Looking at ideas with another perspective is always a good thing. If you've taken the time and effort to discover a major and career path that fits YOU, stepping back from time to time can only reinforce the decision you made or create a few minor changes.
Let's use a student example to illustrate this idea. Trina graduates from a charter school that focuses on the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). She completes her math credits for high school and it is assumed she will continue in a STEM program at the university level. Trina is more of a writer and can't really decide on a major. One thing she knows for certain is that she WILL NOT go into the hard sciences. She took her classes in high school because that was the focus of the school but personally she would like to go into something different. Her thoughts lead to an English major because of her strong writing skills. But she's not entirely sure. She goes through different major and career exploration exercises and ends up investing in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory assessments. She discovers she matches closely with quite a few careers but one in particular, Occupational Therapy. This is a field that has been recommended to her on several occasions. She now has to choose a major that will lead her into the graduate program. She takes an English class hoping she will enjoy the writing and comparing novels to film. She finds the class to be tedious and does not enjoy the company of the English majors within the class. Trina then takes an Intro to Sociology class and falls in love with the program. An advisor recommends she major in Exercise and Sports Science but again, Trina is not interested in pursuing a heavy science and math field. She attends the information session for Occupational Therapy and is told the majors that match well with that graduate program are Psychology, Social Work, and (gasp!) Sociology. Trina is extremely excited because she enjoys the social sciences and knows she can continue to pursue Sociology as well as work on prerequisites for Occupational Therapy. From time to time, Trina takes a step back to reevaluate her coursework and future goals. Each time she does this, she feels good about what she is doing and she feels she is on the right path.
We all know how we feel and what we like. Take the time to step back and be an observer in your life. And don't forget to follow the Career Decision Making Model steps:
1. Assess Myself
2. Explore Options
3. Evaluate Fit
4. Take Action
5. Adjust to Transition
6. Reevaluate
The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.
~Don Williams Jr Quotes
Let's use a student example to illustrate this idea. Trina graduates from a charter school that focuses on the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). She completes her math credits for high school and it is assumed she will continue in a STEM program at the university level. Trina is more of a writer and can't really decide on a major. One thing she knows for certain is that she WILL NOT go into the hard sciences. She took her classes in high school because that was the focus of the school but personally she would like to go into something different. Her thoughts lead to an English major because of her strong writing skills. But she's not entirely sure. She goes through different major and career exploration exercises and ends up investing in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory assessments. She discovers she matches closely with quite a few careers but one in particular, Occupational Therapy. This is a field that has been recommended to her on several occasions. She now has to choose a major that will lead her into the graduate program. She takes an English class hoping she will enjoy the writing and comparing novels to film. She finds the class to be tedious and does not enjoy the company of the English majors within the class. Trina then takes an Intro to Sociology class and falls in love with the program. An advisor recommends she major in Exercise and Sports Science but again, Trina is not interested in pursuing a heavy science and math field. She attends the information session for Occupational Therapy and is told the majors that match well with that graduate program are Psychology, Social Work, and (gasp!) Sociology. Trina is extremely excited because she enjoys the social sciences and knows she can continue to pursue Sociology as well as work on prerequisites for Occupational Therapy. From time to time, Trina takes a step back to reevaluate her coursework and future goals. Each time she does this, she feels good about what she is doing and she feels she is on the right path.
We all know how we feel and what we like. Take the time to step back and be an observer in your life. And don't forget to follow the Career Decision Making Model steps:
1. Assess Myself
2. Explore Options
3. Evaluate Fit
4. Take Action
5. Adjust to Transition
6. Reevaluate
The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.
~Don Williams Jr Quotes
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