I'm 20 and I have no clue what I want in life?

Hey guys,

I'm a 20 year old girl who basically has no direction in life as of the moment. I'm in my third year of college, majoring in Accounting because that's what my dad recommended me to do. However, my true passions lie in the artistic realm of things; I like writing, drawing, and fashion. I run a blog and an Instagram, where I post my personal works of photography and fashion on there - I have a substantial following, and I even get sponsored to write reviews on sample products. I'm planning to minor in Public Relations and pursing a job in social media, as that is what I'm good at and also really enjoy doing.

However, I'm not sure how much financial stability that'll offer me. I'm afraid that it might not be enough, and I question my choices every day. Most of my other friends already have a set career choice and are unwavering. Me, on the other hand, I often feel scared and lonely - unprepared for the future. I may have a general idea of what I want in life - wealth, love, a happy family life, good health - but I'm sure exactly how to get there? I've heard that this is a normal stage in life for people my age, but I want to do better than where I am now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

If you have a qualification in Accounting, you will always find employment - no problem. Lucrative employment, too, which will mean you don't need to spend all your time at work yet can still have a reasonable lifestyle.

If you're in a situation where you DON'T need to work full time, it opens up the rest of your world to all the creative possibilities you mention in your post.

I'm an artist, but I've alternated between being fully self-employed as one, working part time as an art teacher (in education/mental health), or working full time in those areas, depending on other circumstances. These days very few people stick with one career for their entire working lives, so don't pay any attention to what your friends are doing.

Good luck!

I dont think that any at least a little ambitious person at 20 has clue about what they want in their future and where they are. Just continue pursuing your career and hobbies and you will find out what makes you happy

Just because you get qualification in something, does not mean you need to spend your entire life doing that.

Life Objective 1: Set yourself up for stability. - you are not going to be able to live unless you have a stable income even if it is in a career you are not passionate about.

Life Objective 2: While setting up your stability, dabble in your passions, slowly building it until:

Life Objective 3: Work to make your passion projects your stable life platform.

Life Objective 4: Remove your chosen career and Focus on your passion.

Ultimate Goal: Happiness.

Do what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

Why not study marketing? You can actually make a lot of money working for marketing agencies being a social media or digital marketing manager (I work at a marketing agency). You could also freelance as a photographer or blogger or do copywriting. It's a very employable skill.

Personally I wanted to drop my major and study photography when I was your age but I didn't to be "practical". The result was me doing a bunch of low paying jobs because I hated my major and now at 30 I really regret it and am going back to school to pursue that passion once and for all. So do what you feel is your passion. You seem ambitious so I believe you can make it work. There's nothing good about going to a job you don't like just to make money.

Get that accounting degree, then you will always have it to fall back on even if for a short while. The key to success is to figure out what you are passionate about and then get someone to pay you to do it. For me it was starting my own business. You could do that part time, while studying, to make money and get experience.

At 20 you are not expected to know for sure what you want to do with your life. Some 20 yr olds do, but the majority dont.

I'm a 20 year old girl who basically has no direction in life as of the moment.

I have to affectionately disagree with you!

You have a lot of direction, you just don't know which way to go. As a person who is waaaaaay much older than you, I can tell you, you are already leaps and bounds ahead of where you could be, as you are continuing in college, trying to figure it out. Good for you!

I was an Accounting major for.....about 3 seconds. I switched when I finished my 2 required courses, after realizing there was no way in h*ll I could ever be good at that. I have more respect for my CPA than ever, as it's something I just didn't excel at. So, I switched to Education. I'll be a teacher! Um, notsofast. I switched my major about 5 more times, and today, I'm doing a career I didn't even know existed, and I love it.

Want to know the secret?

You don't have to pick one thing, and be that one thing for the rest of your life. Even doctors who spend decades in medical school, residency, practice, sometimes switch careers late in life.

Pick one thing for now. Finish your degree, get a job in whatever that is, and feel your way around. The days of requiring 35 years at the same company, in the same job, are long gone.

My resume has the most twists and turns anyone could imagine, and people constantly ask me how I got where I am now, as my job is kind of coveted in my industry. I just always had a positive attitude and always worked extremely hard, regardless of where I was, and I kept tweaking things, making different turns, till I found this. It doesn't matter to you what I do, but had anyone told me I'd be doing this type of job 25 years ago, I'd have laughed their heads off.

Finish your degree. If you have to change majors, do that, but.....finish the degree. It's the best thing I ever did. And you are this close.

FWIW, after all the majors switching I did, I ended up getting.....lol....a Marketing Degree. And that's exactly what I'm doing today, funny enough.

If it would be possible to reduce the accounting to a minor and finish with a marketing degree, then that's a nice blend of all of your skills. Otherwise, the accounting is a good base for ANY area of business, because all projects have budgets regardless of whether you land in merchandising, creative, or marketing of any kind, including digital.

So nothing is wasted unless you've pursued something technical, like nursing or dental or whatever and don't intend to go into the field.

You're not limited to applying to accounting departments. Bachelor level study is NOT career training in most cases, it's just a set of education requirements that you'll need for any job. I don't know anyone who's career choices have been limited to the subject area of their major unless they've gone to grad school to specialize in a specific area.

Consider using work through temp agencies after college to sample various company environments to find a good fit for you. The role you work to get inside the door doesn't matter--HR departments are looking for good PEOPLE who demo work ethic and soft skills as they mix well with a given firm's unique culture. Do that, and you'll be able to apply for better jobs 'from within' that are never published to the public.

Social and digital marketing are hot fields, so your experience and skills are fine--and so will be any degree you earn as long as your grades are decent.

Head high, and enjOy.

Thank you so much for this!