Not sure if I should carry on with a career that suits me
Hi Sam , This year I’m going into year 9 and we pick our options ( from what my school told me ) and I’ve wanting to do computer science but now it’s getting closer I’m not sure if I want to carry on because it’s getting complicated and hard and I don’t know what to do about it I’ve had my heart on it since year 7 but now it’s getting closer I’m unsure if I still want to do it :( all my family and friends are saying it would suit me and I think so too but I’m not sure what do I do ?
Sam
Hi there,
Sometimes it’s hard to make big decisions. There are choices which can have an impact on your future, so it might feel like there’s lots of pressure to get it right. The problem is you probably don't know what it means to "get it right". What is the right choice and how do you know? That's what makes this kind of decision so hard.
When making a tough choice like this, it's good to look at your options and think about what are called the pros and cons - the good and bad - of each choice. In your case you're trying to decide whether to take computer science or a different subject for your GCSE options. So get a piece of paper, or open a document on your computer, and write both options down. Under each one you can write down your answers to a couple of questions.
The first questions you need to answer are
what will be the best thing about choosing computer science?
and what will be the best thing about your other option?
Think carefully and answer honestly. The next questions are:
what’s the worst thing about each choice?
how would you feel if you didn't choose to take each option - is it something you think you might regret later, or will you feel relieved?
Finally you need to look at what the consequences of each choice might be. So in your case - what will happen if you take computer science and hate it? What will happen if you don't take it?
Choosing GCSE options is a big decision but you're probably not choosing something that can't be undone later. If you choose not to take a subject now, you could always take a course later. It doesn't rule out your options entirely.
Making tough decisions is hard to do on your own and it's good to get lots of other opinions on it. Try not to rely on the opinion of just one or two people because they might be biased - the more people you talk to, the better. They can't - and shouldn't - make the decision for you, but they might help you to figure out what you really want. Childline counsellors can do this too - they're neutral and won't tell you what to do.
I hope this has helped, I know it's a difficult decision to make. You can always ask other young people on the message boards how they chose their GCSE options too, as they might have gone through similar problems.
Thanks for sharing, take care.
Sam
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