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.听
You might not feel confident about where you want to go and how you want to grow.听As you follow your curiosity, keep in mind that it鈥檚 a path-finding tool鈥攏ot the path itself.听 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,听can feel as overwhelming as 鈥淲hat do you want to be when you grow up?鈥� It may even feel like defining the purpose of your existence. UROP doesn鈥檛 have the answer to the meaning of life, but we encourage you to stay curious about your life experiences and the next steps forward鈥攁nd understand听that you鈥檙e 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鈥攚ith 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.听But exploring can reveal some听surprises.听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鈥攊nformed by the patterns of听your engagement.听
Your curiosity can guide you toward experiences that bring you into contact with new people, ideas, goals and more. We encourage听you to take notice of the patterns of your experience鈥攁nd 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鈥攅ven if it looks like an intimidating climb.听If the way forward is less clear, it could be helpful to reframe how we think about 鈥減urpose.鈥澨鼵onsidering 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鈥攖o 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.听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?
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More Resources
听Career Services听offers free resources to help you consider your interests,听strengths鈥攁nd explore different paths.
鈥嬏�Exploratory Studies offers drop-in advising听for all undergraduates听to explore curricular and co-curricular options.