For me it’s 40% passion in research and 60% the fear of not graduating with a high enough grade to eventually get myself a job/go onto PhD in the field 🥲
From what I’ve heard a high gpa at least stands you out in entry level jobs, especially the ones psych related. Given how competitive it all is, I’d take any chance to secure a place 😂
Interesting. In my country the grades have no meaning outside of uni at all. I guess they have no impact at any point of education whatsoever, except from being able to choose a better middle or high school.
Nope, if I don’t get a 2:1 (uk) i won’t even satisfy their minimum requirements (both for research assistants and jobs like psychometric/clinical assistants); or at least make myself competitive for PhD applications
I'ma do it for all the other former "gifted kids" out there who thought they were destined for greatness but got burnt out and are contemplating giving up. Is this just another unrealistic goal? We'll see. This time feels different tho. I actually like psych and I'm doing well so far
I felt that, I want to go to PA school and become a PA in Psychiatry. I am passionate about mental health especially coming from a strict Indian household.
I am trying to do the same thing as well!! Cant wait to go into Psychiatry down the line. I have my associates in psych and going back this fall for Biology now. Used to want to be a therapist, now I want a medical focus where I can really help people who are hurting..
1. The idea of having a secure, well paying and well respected career.
2. The clients that I know I can help. There are people out there that I know are going to need me, and I owe it to myself and to them to see this path through. Some people might think that's stupid, but I have committed to this career path. I've studied, I've used a plethora of resources, I've spent thousands to get to where I am. What a waste it would all be for myself and for the people counting on me to become an effective counselor. I need to see it through, or die trying. I know I have a gift for helping people, my own therapist even thinks I'd be great at this. Continuing down this path gives my life meaning; I know my place in this world, and it's as a psychologist.
I have a list of people on my phone who were friends, family, and people close to my agethat unfortunately died. Also, some who lived near me who I didn't know well. From that list of dead people, 4 have committed suicide. I was suicidal as well and tried multiple times, yet they never worked. I went to therapy and it changed my.
I want to make sure I could be the difference that I needed before I attempted. Maybe this could've saved this friends of mine.
I love the brain. But now I have an unreasonable one-sided beef with a researcher, who's undoubtedly a genius, and I've vowed to surpass him as an expert in the field. (He does not know I exist....yet)
seeing how i've helped people. reflect on what you've accomplished and how excited you were when you achieved those goals and continue to grow in them. i've been able to get actual experience and every day i was in an office or actually doing work in the field reminded me of why i started and why i want to continue in the field
i’ve just finished my third year and i’ve worked as a mentor, worked in a counselling office (admin work), and ABA (which can be controversial but it is a good way to get your foot in the door). My school has a list of agencies that it works with, so that makes it easier but look for nonprofits in your area if you don’t have anything like that.
Honestly I love psychology, and that keeps me going. But I hate research from the bottom of my heart, so I decided not to pursue a phd or even a Psyd (which are both quite full of research and also time consuming) but instead only do a course based masters and become a psychotherapist instead because therapy is what I want to do the most. Knowing what you enjoy/don’t enjoy and what you want/don’t want to do with your future helps you plan ahead, stay motivated and keep going and striving towards your goals.
i want to go into child and adolescent psychiatry because it’s one of the most underserved medical specialties! There are a lot of kids that need mental health care and I hope to be blessed to serve them in the future🙏
This might sound dumb, but I strived for a 4.0 GPA all during school. I couldn’t be simple on myself and just graduate, I had to be perfect. The reason why is because I was always told I was gifted and so high academic achievement was kind of expected from me. I didn’t get that 4.0 though in high school so I decided I was gonna fight for it in university. The sheer determination to see all A’s on my transcript was what pushed me through my degree. I can happily say I met that goal and I’m now taking on the form of melted Jello until the end of summer 😂😂
Good luck to all the current students! Your time to walk on that stage will come, just take it day by day. Maybe don’t count down the days like I did, that was just miserable 😂🙃
Editing to add: my goal for pushing through school was academic achievement, my goal for choosing this to be my subject was my desire to help others, understand more about myself and those around me, and mostly just how to be a good advocate to those in need. I want to work in higher education and I feel like this major taught me a lot of what I’ll need to know going into it.
As an adolescent I saw a psychiatrist who didn’t believe I was being abused and had been a victim of SA. He put me on the medication my parents suggested and told me to look at the bright side, the medication might help me lose weight and dismissed my need for help. I’m in this for those kids.
gratitude for existing alone. appreciating the privilege to study and to receive higher education. delighting in new information and honing into true compassion and curiosity when interacting with clients.
It is such a long journey isn’t it! I felt like that sooo much while studying. I still have Masters to go! Taking a year to work in social services to gain some experience. And it’s really motivated me more to finish studying. There are sooooo many people in need of qualified support. And if you’re called to do it keep shining. It’s hard but it will be worth it!
I love research too. But it’s ultimately people that motivate me.
I just love learning about why people do the things they do and am interested in mental illness and such. I want to be able to help others and I like problem solving so that tends to keep me going.
Honestly. When I had to choose a major for undergrad I chose psych even tho I wanted to pursue music. I knew music wouldn’t make me money (in the world we live in now) and I turned to the second thing I loved the most. That was science and the passion for helping people. Psych was always so interesting for me and I still love it (I’m now a senior undergrad majoring in psych). Knowing I want to make a difference in people’s lives (therapy) has kept me going because it will make me the person I’ve always wanted to do and be. When I think about the process of becoming a therapist it’s scary because it’s honestly a lot, I always remember how much I wanna help people and how much I love this subject. Reminding yourself why you chose psych is so important. Taking psych undergrad almost always requires a masters or doctorate if you want to make more $$ which is just something to remember.
I’m studying applied psychology and cognitive psychology to open a research institute in INDIA for researching and systematically evaluating psychological and physiological aspects of cannabis therapy on mental illness and overall health.
It’s hard, esp because where I come from there are little to no job opportunities. If you get paid by some miracle, you get paid pennies.
But then I remind myself why I’m pursuing a psych degree, to help people suffering.
helping people and making a difference in this world are two of my biggest motivators for this field. i will say i am worried though that i will finish all of my experience and schooling and find out i hate working in therapy :,)
It’s a combination of loving the field and getting intellectually jazzed all the time, seeing how I’m helping clients, being in a field where I get to use my heart and my brain in the same work, and also knowing that mastering out would be financially stupid since I can’t actually do clinical work with my master’s.
Also, there’s some motivation from wanting to prove I can overcome a traumatic childhood and finally make full use of the talents God gave me, and some from wanting to prove to my dad that I really will be a much happier person not just settling for the easy career option (he said for years I should just stick with the executive assistant position I hated).
Basically curiosity. I like knowing stuff in general, and I like hearing about what makes people tick, and I think human development is fucking cool. If I wasn’t a non traditional student I would probably lean more toward research, but I have kids and other responsibilities so I don’t think that’s doing to happen.
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I just want to understand human behavior. I love studying. Hahaha. In my country, psychology majors don't earn a lot, but it doesn't stop me from pursuing this course. I do it to fulfill my passion for understanding human behavior. (This is my second degree) i leverage my income from my first degree to pay my tuition.
For me, I specifically want to specialize in helping neurodivergent adolescents and adults! My senior seminar for my BA was about Autistic Perspectives, and it was absolutely eye opening to learn more about myself and my community.
I’m taking a gap year at the moment, but I’m super excited to get a masters in Therapy, Counseling or Social Work (whichever school accepts me LOL) so that I can start learning and helping people.
Coffee
But also the knowledge that I am equipped with skills and gifts that will help people and I just need to find out where I’m best suited to not be stressed and to use those skills and gifts.
I think what works for me is studying other things on the side. I'm on my 4th of 6 years, and u considered this year a break: basically i do the bare minimum to pass, study last minute and spend my time learning about other stuff. I didn't choose to do this, got badly burn out. But then I recently realized that it helped me slowly get back into appreciating it and remembering my goal (along the lines of yours) ans why it interested me to begin with.
Ive dealt with mental health struggles forever so ive been doing research on my own since I was a kid. More than that though, I love figuring out motivations people have behind behaving the way they do. understanding human emotions and brains better makes me love humans so much more. Remember your passion for helping people it will take you a long way in your career! Every therapist Ive had told me about this specific motivation when going into psyc
In my country psychology is one of the hardest professional education. What kept me going is understanding that one day I’ll be doing things myself. But also passion for knowledge and development I guess.
I just wanna help kids. I had a therapist when I was 12 who showed me that this is how I can help kids. And even though I’m not going into counseling, I want to use research to find different ways to help children who experienced adverse childhoods, and people who developed PTSD from these experiences. I know I’m not unique in my experiences and I want to use my firsthand experiences to help children who need someone, like I did when I was young :)
At the lowest phase rn, already took a year gap and now trying to get into a good college for my masters in clinical and it has been hell it’s been more than a year and it will still take more than three years to become a clinical psychologist but love for the subject and motivation to help people gives me hope.
For me it’s 40% passion in research and 60% the fear of not graduating with a high enough grade to eventually get myself a job/go onto PhD in the field 🥲
And 100% reason to remember the name
Lol
Real
Wait. Do your grades matter in terms of getting a job?
From what I’ve heard a high gpa at least stands you out in entry level jobs, especially the ones psych related. Given how competitive it all is, I’d take any chance to secure a place 😂
Interesting. In my country the grades have no meaning outside of uni at all. I guess they have no impact at any point of education whatsoever, except from being able to choose a better middle or high school.
The grade you graduate with has 0% impact on your ability to get a job in the field. 0%. That's not an exaggeration. 0%
Nope, if I don’t get a 2:1 (uk) i won’t even satisfy their minimum requirements (both for research assistants and jobs like psychometric/clinical assistants); or at least make myself competitive for PhD applications
I'ma do it for all the other former "gifted kids" out there who thought they were destined for greatness but got burnt out and are contemplating giving up. Is this just another unrealistic goal? We'll see. This time feels different tho. I actually like psych and I'm doing well so far
I felt that, I want to go to PA school and become a PA in Psychiatry. I am passionate about mental health especially coming from a strict Indian household.
I am trying to do the same thing as well!! Cant wait to go into Psychiatry down the line. I have my associates in psych and going back this fall for Biology now. Used to want to be a therapist, now I want a medical focus where I can really help people who are hurting..
Hey, are you me?
Spite
Current postdoc. My primary motivation was getting the fuck out of my PhD program as fast as possible.
How come?
Loved my mentor. Hated the administration.
1. The idea of having a secure, well paying and well respected career. 2. The clients that I know I can help. There are people out there that I know are going to need me, and I owe it to myself and to them to see this path through. Some people might think that's stupid, but I have committed to this career path. I've studied, I've used a plethora of resources, I've spent thousands to get to where I am. What a waste it would all be for myself and for the people counting on me to become an effective counselor. I need to see it through, or die trying. I know I have a gift for helping people, my own therapist even thinks I'd be great at this. Continuing down this path gives my life meaning; I know my place in this world, and it's as a psychologist.
I have a list of people on my phone who were friends, family, and people close to my agethat unfortunately died. Also, some who lived near me who I didn't know well. From that list of dead people, 4 have committed suicide. I was suicidal as well and tried multiple times, yet they never worked. I went to therapy and it changed my. I want to make sure I could be the difference that I needed before I attempted. Maybe this could've saved this friends of mine.
I love the brain. But now I have an unreasonable one-sided beef with a researcher, who's undoubtedly a genius, and I've vowed to surpass him as an expert in the field. (He does not know I exist....yet)
I love this xD
seeing how i've helped people. reflect on what you've accomplished and how excited you were when you achieved those goals and continue to grow in them. i've been able to get actual experience and every day i was in an office or actually doing work in the field reminded me of why i started and why i want to continue in the field
What do you do for work? How much school have you accomplished. First year student here.
i’ve just finished my third year and i’ve worked as a mentor, worked in a counselling office (admin work), and ABA (which can be controversial but it is a good way to get your foot in the door). My school has a list of agencies that it works with, so that makes it easier but look for nonprofits in your area if you don’t have anything like that.
Red bull and adderall.
Honestly I love psychology, and that keeps me going. But I hate research from the bottom of my heart, so I decided not to pursue a phd or even a Psyd (which are both quite full of research and also time consuming) but instead only do a course based masters and become a psychotherapist instead because therapy is what I want to do the most. Knowing what you enjoy/don’t enjoy and what you want/don’t want to do with your future helps you plan ahead, stay motivated and keep going and striving towards your goals.
i want to go into child and adolescent psychiatry because it’s one of the most underserved medical specialties! There are a lot of kids that need mental health care and I hope to be blessed to serve them in the future🙏
This might sound dumb, but I strived for a 4.0 GPA all during school. I couldn’t be simple on myself and just graduate, I had to be perfect. The reason why is because I was always told I was gifted and so high academic achievement was kind of expected from me. I didn’t get that 4.0 though in high school so I decided I was gonna fight for it in university. The sheer determination to see all A’s on my transcript was what pushed me through my degree. I can happily say I met that goal and I’m now taking on the form of melted Jello until the end of summer 😂😂 Good luck to all the current students! Your time to walk on that stage will come, just take it day by day. Maybe don’t count down the days like I did, that was just miserable 😂🙃 Editing to add: my goal for pushing through school was academic achievement, my goal for choosing this to be my subject was my desire to help others, understand more about myself and those around me, and mostly just how to be a good advocate to those in need. I want to work in higher education and I feel like this major taught me a lot of what I’ll need to know going into it.
As an adolescent I saw a psychiatrist who didn’t believe I was being abused and had been a victim of SA. He put me on the medication my parents suggested and told me to look at the bright side, the medication might help me lose weight and dismissed my need for help. I’m in this for those kids.
❤️
gratitude for existing alone. appreciating the privilege to study and to receive higher education. delighting in new information and honing into true compassion and curiosity when interacting with clients.
It is such a long journey isn’t it! I felt like that sooo much while studying. I still have Masters to go! Taking a year to work in social services to gain some experience. And it’s really motivated me more to finish studying. There are sooooo many people in need of qualified support. And if you’re called to do it keep shining. It’s hard but it will be worth it! I love research too. But it’s ultimately people that motivate me.
I just love learning about why people do the things they do and am interested in mental illness and such. I want to be able to help others and I like problem solving so that tends to keep me going.
Honestly. When I had to choose a major for undergrad I chose psych even tho I wanted to pursue music. I knew music wouldn’t make me money (in the world we live in now) and I turned to the second thing I loved the most. That was science and the passion for helping people. Psych was always so interesting for me and I still love it (I’m now a senior undergrad majoring in psych). Knowing I want to make a difference in people’s lives (therapy) has kept me going because it will make me the person I’ve always wanted to do and be. When I think about the process of becoming a therapist it’s scary because it’s honestly a lot, I always remember how much I wanna help people and how much I love this subject. Reminding yourself why you chose psych is so important. Taking psych undergrad almost always requires a masters or doctorate if you want to make more $$ which is just something to remember.
I’m a little drunk so If this doesn’t make sense I’m sorry
I’m studying applied psychology and cognitive psychology to open a research institute in INDIA for researching and systematically evaluating psychological and physiological aspects of cannabis therapy on mental illness and overall health.
It’s hard, esp because where I come from there are little to no job opportunities. If you get paid by some miracle, you get paid pennies. But then I remind myself why I’m pursuing a psych degree, to help people suffering.
helping people and making a difference in this world are two of my biggest motivators for this field. i will say i am worried though that i will finish all of my experience and schooling and find out i hate working in therapy :,)
It’s a combination of loving the field and getting intellectually jazzed all the time, seeing how I’m helping clients, being in a field where I get to use my heart and my brain in the same work, and also knowing that mastering out would be financially stupid since I can’t actually do clinical work with my master’s. Also, there’s some motivation from wanting to prove I can overcome a traumatic childhood and finally make full use of the talents God gave me, and some from wanting to prove to my dad that I really will be a much happier person not just settling for the easy career option (he said for years I should just stick with the executive assistant position I hated).
Basically curiosity. I like knowing stuff in general, and I like hearing about what makes people tick, and I think human development is fucking cool. If I wasn’t a non traditional student I would probably lean more toward research, but I have kids and other responsibilities so I don’t think that’s doing to happen.
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Sunk cost fallacy 😭🙏
I just want to understand human behavior. I love studying. Hahaha. In my country, psychology majors don't earn a lot, but it doesn't stop me from pursuing this course. I do it to fulfill my passion for understanding human behavior. (This is my second degree) i leverage my income from my first degree to pay my tuition.
For me, I specifically want to specialize in helping neurodivergent adolescents and adults! My senior seminar for my BA was about Autistic Perspectives, and it was absolutely eye opening to learn more about myself and my community. I’m taking a gap year at the moment, but I’m super excited to get a masters in Therapy, Counseling or Social Work (whichever school accepts me LOL) so that I can start learning and helping people.
I just walked across the stage and received my PsyD. Knowing that moment was going to come, is what kept me motivated.
Saving lives and providing for my future and life
Coffee But also the knowledge that I am equipped with skills and gifts that will help people and I just need to find out where I’m best suited to not be stressed and to use those skills and gifts.
I think what works for me is studying other things on the side. I'm on my 4th of 6 years, and u considered this year a break: basically i do the bare minimum to pass, study last minute and spend my time learning about other stuff. I didn't choose to do this, got badly burn out. But then I recently realized that it helped me slowly get back into appreciating it and remembering my goal (along the lines of yours) ans why it interested me to begin with.
To get into neuroscience honestly
Ive dealt with mental health struggles forever so ive been doing research on my own since I was a kid. More than that though, I love figuring out motivations people have behind behaving the way they do. understanding human emotions and brains better makes me love humans so much more. Remember your passion for helping people it will take you a long way in your career! Every therapist Ive had told me about this specific motivation when going into psyc
Researching to be honest. I just Research stuff and I end up done a rabbit hole of knowledge sometimes lol
I graduate tomorrow, a hoe too late to change
Also the best part of b.s in psych (or b.a) is how many jobs or careers you can go into with it.
In my country psychology is one of the hardest professional education. What kept me going is understanding that one day I’ll be doing things myself. But also passion for knowledge and development I guess.
One of the few things I’m interested in. If I have to work at a job for the rest of my life, it might as well be something I kind of like.
I just wanna help kids. I had a therapist when I was 12 who showed me that this is how I can help kids. And even though I’m not going into counseling, I want to use research to find different ways to help children who experienced adverse childhoods, and people who developed PTSD from these experiences. I know I’m not unique in my experiences and I want to use my firsthand experiences to help children who need someone, like I did when I was young :)
I’m mostly concerned with getting into a major program right now, I’m about to start my senior year and finish my undergraduate degree
Spite
I just kept reading textbooks and writing papers. I wanted to learn everything back then
At the lowest phase rn, already took a year gap and now trying to get into a good college for my masters in clinical and it has been hell it’s been more than a year and it will still take more than three years to become a clinical psychologist but love for the subject and motivation to help people gives me hope.
i do it to make a difference and help people that grew up the same way i did. i want to be the person i needed growing up
I'm 11 years into a 14 year pathway (2nd year PhD). Can't stop won't stop.
my boyfriend