Impossible to Study

[Cam]

Hi, I am finding it impossible to study at University because as soon as I find out what a subject is about I loose interst and change my major. I was wondering if this has happened to any other INTP's and if there was any cure. It is getting beyond ridiculous. I am currently in my third year of doing 100-level (first year) papers.

 

[Cam]

interest* sorry I am half asleep so its all over the place.

 

[jrINTP]

I'm in a similar position. I'm just finishing my 4th year and am still trying to figure out what I want to do. I was accepted into nursing school at my university, but then quit after a semester and a half. I believe it was the health sciences that attracted me to it and also thought I could learn a good amount about healthcare and the related professions. But I eventually realized that I wouldn't last as a nurse since it requires certain skills, not just smarts. So now, I'm going back to my original major, biology, but can't say I'm ecstatic about it. Don't really know what else to do at this point. I'm not sure if there is a "cure" to indecisiveness. I think you just gotta wait it out until you find something you actually want to pursue. An article I read stated that INTPs take a while to figure out what to do with their lives. http://personalityjunkie.com/2009/12/28/intp-personality-type-jobs-careers-interests-and-majors/

 

[DetachedRetina]

Yeah I experienced the same thing. I guess just pick something and graduate. What you major in is not that important in the scheme of things. Obviously you can't just decide you're interested in astrophysics when you're 40 and waltz into a graduate program for it, or decide you want to break into politics and become a senator after a 20 year long career in fiction writing and without any experience in the public arena. But to a reasonable degree you can always change things up in the future. Also you can pretty much study anything at any time if you're interested in it. You could learn all about surgery when you're 75 after being a school counselor all your life you just might not get to ever be a surgeon. But to an INTP learning about surgery is what it's all about anyways right?

 

[Vrecknidj]

I started by not declaring a major. I took classes that sounded interesting or that I was confident I could complete easily.

I transferred to a major university and declared myself a chemistry major (minoring in computer science).

I dropped most of my classes that first semester, and decided to enroll in philosophy and religion courses instead.

I picked up a math minor because I only needed one more class to get it, so I figured that wouldn't be too hard. I dropped chemistry because the labs lasted too long. I dropped computer science because the classes I would have been forced to take were scheduled for 8 in the morning.

Philosophy had the easiest major to qualify for, so I switched to philosophy, after completing 5 semesters and wanting to finish in 8.

I managed to finish on time. Somehow.

As far as I knew, switching majors all the time was normal. Maybe it's not. I don't know.

 

[Dapper Dan]

I started by not declaring a major. I took classes that sounded interesting or that I was confident I could complete easily.

I transferred to a major university and declared myself a chemistry major (minoring in computer science).

I dropped most of my classes that first semester, and decided to enroll in philosophy and religion courses instead.

I picked up a math minor because I only needed one more class to get it, so I figured that wouldn't be too hard. I dropped chemistry because the labs lasted too long. I dropped computer science because the classes I would have been forced to take were scheduled for 8 in the morning.

Philosophy had the easiest major to qualify for, so I switched to philosophy, after completing 5 semesters and wanting to finish in 8.

I managed to finish on time. Somehow.

As far as I knew, switching majors all the time was normal. Maybe it's not. I don't know.

For what it's worth, I've heard that the average student these days takes 5 years to graduate.

 

[ElvenVeil]

Well.. I guess many of us have tried to face the agony of choice
When I was very young I wanted to be an archaeologist, but that was later on replaced with being an artist, which was replaced with wanting to be working with making computer games. That was then replaced with philosophy and psychology, which was replaced with what is called 'technology and society', which is currently where I am now. I won't say that it was changed, but I intend to keep that as a mere bachelor and focus on mathematics.. But changing subjects luckily doesn't mean that an interest in the field is lost. I still love to write poetry and to think of novel plots and create worlds in my head. as well as read about psychology, philosophy, Mathematics and environmental issues... basically etc.

So you can still enjoy all your interests even though your focus is in a certain field. I think that considerations like 'it's too early in the morning' are pointless. Evaluate what matches your line of thinking the most; where you can feel most at home, and consider if whatever study you pick can actually give you a good job(tada don't take philosophy as major or anything like that). Also take the study serious, and be proficient in whatever field you are into.

 

[xbox]

Yeah... I have done the entire switch major, lose interest, drop out, get back in, do something else, leave it unfinished, pursue something else.. kinda path..

Most of my confusion came from my parents who pushed me into something I never wanted to do, and I backed out too late. Something like that. I think INTPs can only do something if they have some kind of inner motivation to continue pursuit.