Money has never been one of my favorite words. Sure, having it gives you reassurance in many aspects of life and helps you feel more financially stable. But does it have to be the root of most problems I face?

In the last month or so, I’ve been deeply considering adding a second major to my education.

I keep getting told by those close to me that I need to “do what’s best for me” and “do what makes me happy.”

Believe me when I say I’m fully aware of how important being happy is and doing something I’m truly passionate about will make me happier in the end.

Doing what I love and what makes me happy isn’t the problem of why I haven’t made my final decision yet. Part of the problem lies with whether or not I have the finances to do it.

It doesn’t help that Congress is working on making paying for college that much more difficult for students and their families by cutting back on loans and grants.

Truthfully, I feel like I’m being punished for wanting the best education I can get and doing what I love.

No student should ever feel that way because they’re afraid of the debt they’ll have after graduation.

The main problem I have with this matter is that I’m not necessarily making the final decision based on my happiness but my financial well-being after.

It’s sad that we’ve come to the point in America that every decision we make is focused so much on cost, on money.

“Money can’t buy you happiness;” that’s what I was always told. I still firmly believe that. So why do we make most, if not all, of our decisions based on money?

I find it disappointing that we have come to this all around the world. Don’t get me wrong, I make money-centered decisions in my life every single day.

Do I go out to eat for dinner or do I save money and eat what I already have? Do I go to this movie I really want to see, or do I wait until it’s on Netflix or my friends have it on DVD? Do I really need to buy a new book from Barnes and Noble, or do I borrow it from the library?

It’s a daily struggle with money, one that we all face. And, it’s certainly not an enjoyable one.

But then I go back and ask myself, “Is it worth it?”

That question, right there, should be the heart of every decision that has been made.

Is what you want to do worth it in the end? Will it benefit you? Will it make you happy, longer than just a couple of hours? What impact will it have on you years down the road?

When making any decision, you should always consider every pro and con of what will come out of it, not just whether it sounds good at the time.

With my consideration of whether or not to add a second degree, I can tell you that in the month I’ve been considering doing so, I’ve looked at every possible angle that will help me make the right decision.

I’ve talked with all the right professors, I’ve discussed my options with my family and friends and collected their input, I’ve listed the pros and cons of what adding a second degree would do for me and I’ve looked at wheter it’s worth it, if it’s “what’s best for me and will make me happy.”

While I still haven’t made my complete decision just yet, I’m starting to get a better picture of what is right, even if finances are also playing a large role in the decision.

Something I just have to keep in mind through this decision-making process is that “things have a way of working themselves in the end, if they’re meant to be.”

Doing what you love can come at a price. Just make sure it’s truly what you want to do, and hopefully, the final decision will be self-explanatory.