‘Ohmygawd, why would anyone do a degree in maths, willingly?’
Soooo I’ve always been a bit of a geek and I’ve always, always liked numbers. Like I genuinely enjoy crunching through pages of calculations to arrive at one logical solution (sounds mortifying I know). Once I finished high school I had no idea what I wanted to become. I knew the next step was to go to university, but what would I study? It was common for most people in science to do an engineering degree or a medical degree (god forbid anyone lets me near a patient with a scalpel!). Maths was definitely my forte but what job could I possibly get with a maths degree, especially when I didn’t want to go into academics and teaching.
And hence I started my research. Which uni, what degree and most importantly what job could I get into with my interest in maths? After weeks of research, I found 2 options: an actuarial science degree (in commerce) or a bachelor of science majoring in maths and stats. I chose the less specified path- the BSc in maths and stats at the University of Melbourne. It allowed me to follow what I liked but also kept my options open to other interests. Unimelb has a system of breadth subjects where you can experiment with subjects from other areas to figure out what you like.
As I explored my many breadth subjects (while still doing my math subjects), I found interest in unexpected areas like computer science and finance. I have since applied for a diploma in informatics (more computer science) which has so far been challenging yet rewarding and extremely interesting (more to come later). I plan on doing a more focused Masters degree, incorporating all of maths, finance and computing (haven’t figured out how exactly yet). Lucky for me, this unique skill set makes me a highly sought after employee in many different sectors.
I hope this has been informative for anyone struggling with future career paths. It’s okay to not know exactly what you want to become. Stick to your interests and pave your own path.
Lots of love and good luck,
Nethmi
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