Worried About Selected Graduate Research Topic

[Aero51]

Hey, I'm just looking for some advice with regards to a bad gut feeling I've been having lately. I will be starting graduate school this fall and I am worried that the topic I chose is not the "best" topic for me. By best, I mean a subject I feel is not my true passion and will not allow me to exercise my potential most effectively. Originally, I was going to go to graduate school for aerodynamics, but changed my decision after learning that there is very little theoretical work going on the the field. I ended up decided to pursue fluid dynamics and combustion with the hope that this field is sufficiently broad to explore additional interests in the future. I'm a little nervous right now as I don't want to screw my entire life up over one decision haha.

In a way, this feeling reminds me a little bit like getting "cold feet" on a first date. Is this normal? I really not sure what to do with the feelings. Obviously I will give my second choice a chance, but I am worried about the possible opportunity to explore my passion later on in life.

 

[nuclear85]

Fluid dynamics and especially CFD will really allow you to do a LOT of different things... of course if you hate CFD, that's one problem, but the applications of CFD are vast. I went to grad school planning to study one thing, realized there was no money to pay my GRA in that, so I chose a different subtopic of nuclear engineering instead. It ended up being a great decision, and now I really like what I do, and realize it's a better topic for me than what I thought I wanted to study. So I'd say give it a chance.