[Vomis58]

I just got out of the military and started school, I have no idea what I should be doing though. I have no passions or interests that relate to a job or degree (unless I want to be a guy who tastes food and beer while playing video games, does that exist) so I am trying to figure out how to pick a major.

I just chose one that looked good, I picked chemical engineering since I always had an interest in chemistry and I like a challenge. I am very competitive actually so I love a challenge, I get bored if things are easy. So I started taking college algebra and I am going to fail the class, I have tutors, attend office hours, study at least 10 hours a week and I still can't get above a D on the tests. I enjoy the math sometimes, I like working out and solving problems in my head and I love getting a right answer but I can't think of anything more frustrating than constantly failing every single test when I feel like I got a high grade on it.

I am also taking a chemistry class and I hate it, it is one of the most boring classes I have taken and due to the time commitment from math I have no studied at all for it. I hear that the later classes should be more interesting so I have no idea.

Of all that classes I have taken I wouldn't say any really grab me, I am not passionate about any of them really, so how the hell do I pick a major? At this point it feels more like survival, I need money to survive and my job will never bring me happiness because I will never be passionate about it so I need to find a job that requires as little time commitment as possible. Does that sound about right?

Also how many times should I take this math class before I admit that math just isn't for me?

Just rambling I guess, I am suppose to be passionate about something that has me in some way contributing society and not just myself. I like to play video games but that will never help anyone else, I like to watch TV shows but that will never help anyone else. I need to force myself to be passionate about something that will get me money?

I hated my job in the military but as I did it for longer I hated it less and now I miss it. I was good at something, I had a purpose, goals, I did stuff, I set a goal and I would accomplish it. Now I just feel like I have no idea what to do, I have all these goals but they might not even be goals and they might not be attainable and they might not even be something I do enjoy anyways. I just have no idea what to do. I hear chemistry gets better later on. I have no passions or interests really.

I have got so caught up in this that I am having trouble doing anything else, all I can do is think about if I am wasting all my time and money on something I won't like or won't be able to do. There are so many questions and I have no answers.

[enahs]

If you are not passionate about chemistry then do not do it. If you want sciences try other sciences try them.

Try trade schools. Welders make pretty decent money, are in high demand, and believe it or not it can be very fun and challenging. And if you are interested you can take it to extreme and do underwater welding or high tower welding. I actually do a lot of welding in my spare time for fun, and I also enjoy the science behind it, which is why it is also fun for me.
I personally also loving cooking, and at once time seriously considered going to culinary school.


The point is, there is a lot of stuff out there; and a lot of things to try that you might enjoy; so try them.  You could also return to the military and get an education there. I have many friends in the military getting math degrees. You could try and transfer to the air-force and become a pilot, etc etc.

As to math, I was in the same situation as you; I was actually required to take TWO math classes before they would allow me to take college algebra (I have since done such complex math its crazy). My break through in algebra was someone finally got it to me to stop focusing on what x actually is and on what algebra does by replacing x with a smiley face. It then just sorta clicked in my head. There are also a lot of dyslexia problems people have, and often it tends to be focused in numbers and not letters. Do not feel ashamed or embarrassed,  but go find out if that is an issue for you.


I personally found my freshman Chemistry classes very fun and exciting, but it all depends on you teacher. And chemical engineering is probably 100x less fun then chemistry in my personal opinion.

[Vomis58]

How do I know what I am passionate about? I don't know a lot about chemistry except that I don't enjoy sitting in class for 2 hours getting lectured about significant figures, conversion rates and all that stuff. It is incredibly boring. I enjoy the labs though.

To take this even further how the hell am I suppose to know what I want to major in? How do I know if math is going to click for me or not? I feel confident with it now but I just can't do well on the tests. I don't learn well in the class room, I have to do the math on my own or it doesn't make sense to me.

I mean I could like my likes and dislikes, and it doesn't help me at all to figure out what to do. I don't even know what chemical engineers actually do, I know what the job description is but I have no idea what they actually do when they do their job. Same with chemists or anything else really, there is very little information on anything and the information might not even matter, the only way I will know if I like those things is if I get a degree in those things and work the job for a while. Anything short and I can't be sure.

[enahs]

You are in no different position then most. You can try job market and internships to see if you might like it.

I will say that a degree in Chemistry probably opens up the most diverse type of jobs you can find compared to any other degree, meaning you have a greater chance in finding a job you like. Chemical engineering would be less diverse.

If you can not pass the math tests then you will not get the degree. Like I said I know it is hard. Nobody can make the decision for you. But, unless you are really old, you can always change your mind or do something else later.

[Vomis58]

What I find most confusing is people say stick with science until the later classes when it gets exciting, I know people who love chemistry but hated the first 3 semesters of it and almost dropped out but are very glad they didn't after graduating.