You are more than your academic interests, abilities and GPA. You have strengths and experiences that give you unique insight and the ability to contribute to change in your communities.
You might not feel confident about where you want to go and how you want to grow. As you follow your curiosity, keep in mind that it’s a path-finding tool—not the path itself. You can use it like a compass to find your way forward, though you might not know the destination (and we all wish we had a map).
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Choosing an experiential learning experience, or even a major, can feel as overwhelming as “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It may even feel like defining the purpose of your existence. UROP doesn’t have the answer to the meaning of life, but we encourage you to stay curious about your life experiences and the next steps forward—and understand that you’re developing skills for the journey (even on days when you feel lost).
The Scrolling Dilemma
Choosing an experiential learning opportunity can feel as overwhelming and frustrating as choosing what to watch on your favorite streaming service—with more at stake than a boring show.
Like the never-ending titles to stream, many of the paths ahead are unknown and will require some exploration to discover. But exploring can reveal some surprises. You might not find your fit at the end of a night of binge scrolling, but the process can work like the AI suggesting titles on your favorite platform—informed by the patterns of your engagement.
Your curiosity can guide you toward experiences that bring you into contact with new people, ideas, goals and more. We encourage you to take notice of the patterns of your experience—and explore what engages your curiosity and inspires your creativity.
Reframing Purpose
You might have a clear sense of purpose, or direction, and see the path ahead—even if it looks like an intimidating climb. If the way forward is less clear, it could be helpful to reframe how we think about “purpose.” Considering purpose as more of a process can re-center you in your thinking and highlights all that your context, abilities and confidence have enabled you to become and contribute—to this point and into the future.
Consider where your curiosity is pointing you and where you can draw the confidence to explore (and expand) your context. Reflect on the questions included here and see what intersections appear.
Curiosity
- What curiosities do you have about your academic and creative interests?
- What excites you about your field of study, major or developing interest?
Context
- How do your academic interests connect with your personal and professional goals?
- What change do you want to see in communities you care about?
Confidence
- What strengths and skills do you already have?
- What life experiences give you unique insight?
More Resources
Career Services offers free resources to help you consider your interests, strengths—and explore different paths.
Exploratory Studies offers drop-in advising for all undergraduates to explore curricular and co-curricular options.