How I did it: I had no idea how to go about this choice. I felt like there was nothing that I really liked or disliked, all the options seemed about the same to me.

I tried my best. I got a manual containing small texts about pretty much all the academic professions available in my country. It didn't give anything.

Then I went to France to study and think about what I wanted to do next. Swimming around in weird French verbs, I felt very strongly that I wanted to do something logical, so on the last day of application, i went for applied mathematics. I still didn't know at all if it was what I wanted to do, but I thought it was worth a shot.

And a few weeks in, I realized that, even though the path I've chosen is narrow and tough, I am surrounded by people I like, and I find the environment both interesting and stimulating. I'm really learning something... And I love all the social things that surround my university!

Lessons & tips: Start out small: maybe you can list abilities you have or things you like doing, but don't expect to have an epiphany and realize what you want to do just like that. In the end, you don't know what you like until you've tried it.

Resources: Speaking to friends. The swedish union for academic workers (www.saco.se). Chalmers university of Technology

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Dec 19, 03:22PM PST | 1 comment | 7 cheers