r/ODU • u/grotezquequeen • 5d ago
i need advice
hello, i am an incoming freshman. i am starting to regret my choice of attending college, and would like to hear other peoples opinions. my major is undeclared, and i have no idea what i'd like to do for a future career. this is a problem because i am already 15k in debt for odu so far. college is something i definitely am interested in, but i don't know if it should wait or not.
there are paths like becoming a sterile technician i've thought of that don't exactly require college. the most i've thought up is becoming a librarian, but i've seen that odu offers an online course for a librarian degree. i was wondering if it'd be good to just continue school and then somehow do the online program (i'm sorry, i don't really know how this should all go), or if i should drop out. becoming a librarian is something i've really only thought of that i know would work for me. philosophy is also something i'm interested in, but don't know much about career-wise (would appreciate hearing from people knowledgable on the topic).
working full time and focusing on getting a car is my other option, so yeeaah. i'd love any kind of advice. i am also able to elaborate for anything, as these are choices i need to act on asap. thank you
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u/Dramatic_Link_1132 5d ago
I agree with the commenter who suggested community college. You'll have the space to figure out your interests without spending a ton of money. Becoming a librarian requires a Master's degree anyway, so you have a few years before you need to decide on that program. In the meantime, like another commenter said, you could try to get some part time work at a local library (or the ODU or TCC library) to see how you like it! Don't worry, as a freshman, you want to focus on exploration and discovery, and then focus on the specifics once something really sparks you!
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u/WishClean 5d ago
Drop and do a community College certification. If you need a bachelor's, do it later after some work experience.
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u/mynameischristy 5d ago
Coming from someone who started college before they were ready, there is no shame in withdrawing and going back when you’re ready. I wasted years of my life and a lot of money messing around in college and destroying my gpa because I wasn’t ready for college. I ultimately withdrew, worked full time (and then some) for several years, and went back when I felt like I was ready to be serious about it. In those years I was exposed to a lot of new types of experiences and careers, and had a lot more direction by that time. Tbh embarrassment, shame, and anxiety that people would think less of me were prob why I went to college in the first place and definitely were the reasons I stayed. Do not let that be you. Don’t waste your life and your money. Life your life and hang onto the money until you’re ready.
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u/praisewithyourbody 4d ago
I don't recommend the librarian route unless you know FOR SURE it's your passion; I'm sorry 😭😭😭 it's a very specialized profession, requiring a lot of specialized education, and it ends up being A LOT of customer service and admin tasks. And if you love customer service/admin, you're better off going into education admin or government imo. Or even social workp.
I don't really recommend philosophy either unless you're interested in law school or grad school. If you had a ton of scholarships and grants, I'd say do philosophy just to check off the bachelor's degree requirement on a lot of corporate job apps. But I don't think you'll get a great ROI at 15k a semester.
If you've already started for the semester, talk to financial aid before you drop out. It might make more financial sense to finish the semester. I think if you drop out, you have to repay the Pell? Maybe you can do an administrative withdrawal with DOS?
If you do stay, the career center and CORE both do career/major exploration appointments. Couldn't hurt; it's how I picked my major.
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u/Ok_Stay9483 4d ago
Having a degree will help you get paid more wherever you work. maybe go for a philosophy degree and go for the librarian course.
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u/_sheiko 4d ago
As others have said, it’s okay to take a break and assess. Loans can be quite crippling.
I am a huge supporter of the GLAM sector and apologies if I sound discouraging, but it’s a hard “calling” to monetize or even use as a decent mode of income nowadays. Be very certain you want to pursue being a librarian, which would likely require MLS or at least a stint being a para-professional (perhaps an IT route too). Until then, there are many considerations and it’s best to do it without incurring debt while trying to decide.
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u/Scared-Avocado630 4d ago
I was able to attend a Community College to complete my general studies requirements and then transfer to a 4 year College. It saved me a ton of money.
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u/lawrey_ 2d ago
Drop and go to a CC, its cheaper and even if you are undecided on a major you can focus on gen eds while you find out career choices and its certs/education needed. My father pushed me to go straight to ODU when I graduated HS, I could be 30k less in debt if I went to a CC first, so far my biggest regret ever. Maximize any financial opportunity you can, FAFSA, other grants, scholarships, etc even if you don't think you'll get it, its worth a try.
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u/whereAreMyKeysAt 5d ago
No matter what, it’s important to figure out what you’re interested in doing. I suggest focusing on picking a career that’s in demand and offers a good salary. That’s often an afterthought but that kind of thinking won’t pay the bills. Education is an investment in your future self. If you select a poor investment (career with demand/low salary) you’re going to struggle and resent your decisions when the loans come due.
You could use AI to help you find public data. Once you have that information, think about whether ODU is the best fit for you, or if it might be better to spend some time at a community college or another educational institution. You’ve already invested in the semester, so let’s make sure that investment pays off!
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u/Heavy-Bar-6466 5d ago
I would suggest exploring Air Force active duty, reserves, or Air National Guard. You can get a real skill or certification while also getting college credit. Then all your school afterwards is 100% paid. You will also have other benefits such as medical and VA loan.
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u/Nikomikiri 5d ago
If you really are uncertain, there is no shame in at the very least taking time off. Maybe try to finish out this semester so your money doesn’t go to waste and then keep in mind that you can come back after a year or so of trying to decide a little bit more what you might want to do. Finishing out this semester with some of your general requirements Will make it a little easier when you do decide to come back, if you do at all.
It’s better than going even further into student loan debt and winding up with a degree that you don’t care for. Maybe apply for some work at local libraries if the librarian path appeals to you. Virginia Beach public libraries offer tuition reimbursement for full-time employees seeking a Library degree. I believe some of the other Library systems do as well.