Short answer: Yes. But why? Well, for many young people, the early 20s come with an unspoken pressure to have life “figured out”. By this age, students are expected to know their career goals, commit to a chosen path and move steadily towards professional stability. Any deviation like changing courses, switching fields or exploring new interests is often viewed as confusion or lack of focus. Yet, a closer look at how careers actually unfold suggests that this period of uncertainty may not only be normal, but necessary.
Career experts increasingly point out that the early 20s are among the few phases in life that allow room for experimentation. With fewer financial responsibilities and greater flexibility, this age offers a rare opportunity to test interests, reassess decisions and recalibrate goals. Rather than seeing course changes or academic pivots as setbacks, many educators now view them as part of a longer process of self-discovery.
The reality is that career decisions made at 17 or 18 are often based on limited exposure. School students choose streams influenced by marks, peer choices or immediate circumstances, not always by clarity about long-term aspirations. As a result, it is not uncommon for young adults to realise—sometimes midway through a degree—that their interests lie elsewhere. Responding to that realisation requires courage, especially in a system that values speed and certainty.
This mindset shift is visible among students who consciously choose to keep options open. Apeejay School, Faridabad alumna Samriddhi Sharma (Batch 2020) echoes this perspective while reflecting on her academic journey. She notes that the early years after school are among the few that allow space to experiment and understand what truly fits. “This is the age when you can still try different things,” she says, adding that later stages of life often come with constraints that make such changes harder.
The evolving education ecosystem has also made course correction more accessible. Online degrees, modular programmes and interdisciplinary options allow students to pivot without starting from scratch. What once required abandoning years of study can now be managed through parallel learning or gradual transitions.
Importantly, changing direction does not imply abandoning responsibility or ambition. Most students who pivot continue to prioritise skill-building and employability, simply aligning them more closely with evolving interests. In fact, individuals who explore multiple paths often develop adaptability, self-awareness and resilience qualities increasingly valued in a rapidly changing job market.