I want to study psychology!

[StormySeas17]

Hey everyone!

Seeing as there's quite a few people interested in psychology appearing on these forums why not make a thread about it? I study psychology at university and would love to have a discussion

Maybe some questions could be: why do/did you want to study psychology? What are you most interested in learning about? What makes you most excited about it? What makes you scared about it? How did you get there, or what do you want to know about getting there? What advice do you want/can give on this topic? And anything else you can think of! 

[statuscaring]

@StormySeas17 Thanks for this thread!
I'm not studying Psychology but I am studying a Bachelor of Counselling.. so very similar and I'd love to contribute anyway
Why do/did you want to study psychology (Counselling)?
I enrolled in my course because I was really NOT enjoying my full-time job in childcare. I was stressed, exhausted, burnt out and the lack of care for the educators in my centre was not good. I've had my fair share of struggles with anxiety and anorexia and I really felt I had more to offer in my existence. Being an ear to listen for someone who may be struggling, connect with others and serve a greater purpose then my self. I'm interested on doing counselling with children and adolescents, for a few reasons:
1. I already have a whole lot of knoweledge about children due to my previous studies and years of work within that early childhood care industry.
2. Throughout my studies I'v found that a lot (not all) of peoples conerns, issues and struggles seem to relate back to en expereince they had during their childhood. Or have developed certain core beleifs about themselves, the world and life in general from their early childhood experiences and even directly from their parents/caregivers.

What makes you most excited about it?
That I could potentially have an impact on someone's life, for the greater good. Whether it by creating a safe space for them to talk and experience emotions or to allow someone to grow and understand themselves.

What makes you scared about it?
I'm in my last year of studies and what scares me is something called 'performance anxiety'. Feeling like I don't know how to counsel someone and feelings of not being 'good enough'. I also am scared because I know that I am not yet fully recovered from my eating disorder and I can not help or be a counselor when I am still unwell myself. So this is something I am very aware of, and something that is of high concern of mine.

Thank you for letting me share

[statuscaring]

I will just tag a few people to get this thread out and about
@xXLexi_Lou122Xx @sidekick-bot @TawnyOwl @Anonymous @Andrea-RO @Bananatime04 @JETBLESSING @Eden1717 @Starfish7 @StormySeas17 @WheresMySquishy

[Eden1717]

I started studying psychology a while ago and ended up stopping after the first semester lol. I am interested in the topics but I must admit I prefer sociology as a general rule. It is something I have considered but it also is something I don’t think I could do long term. For me I didn’t continue because so much of my life was already about mental health and I felt for me I didn’t want my job to be about it as well. I need a space that has nothing to do with mental health and seeing as my life is pretty consumed by it my job options seems to be the only place I can even kind of get away. Interesting topic though I wonder what others feel about it. 

[Eden1717]

Oh and @Lost_Space_Explorer5  and @MB95  might be interested in this topic.... 

[xXLexi_Lou122Xx]

Thanks for the tag @statuscaring! I don’t study anything yet, but when I graduate, I want to study psychology at uni, or teaching!

I’m only halfway through year 9, lol.

I’ll answer questions when I actually start studying, depending on where my life takes me, but I will gladly read others’ experience with it!

[Starfish7]

What are some good electives for the bachelor years of psychology to take that could some what relate so I dont feel like i have so many different subjects! I was thinking sociology as one I am not 100% what it is about though and if it ties in with psychology at all?

[Eden1717]

@Starfish7  Sociology is the study of human interactions so psychology is more about the individual and sociology is about the group or everyone as a group. So you might look at how people interact with each other or how different groups function with other groups or how social structures and biases affect society. It is similar but looks at things from a different angle and I feel like it would be much more productive if psychology and sociology teamed up but they seem to like to stick to their own stuff lol. 

[Starfish7]

do you think it would be good to do it as a elective whilst majoring in psychology ?

[Eden1717]

@Starfish7  Yes it probably would but it really depends on what you want personally.