Is Anthropology the Right Path for You?

At some point, everyone asks themselves a version of “What am I even doing?” Maybe it happened during an existential crisis in the cereal aisle, wondering if you actually like granola or if you’ve just been blindly loyal to a brand since childhood.

Maybe it hits when you’re knee-deep in a career you don’t love, questioning how you got there in the first place. Or maybe—just maybe—it strikes while scrolling through college majors, landing on Anthropology, a field that sounds undeniably fascinating but also like something that might leave you broke and explaining your degree at family gatherings for the rest of your life.

So, is anthropology the right path for you? Well, that depends. If you find yourself constantly questioning human behavior rather than simply accepting it, or if you’ve ever disappeared into a Wikipedia rabbit hole on ancient burial rites only to somehow end up reading about the psychology behind IKEA store layouts four hours later, then you might already be thinking like an anthropologist.

What Exactly Would You Be Getting Into?

First, let’s clear up a common misconception. Anthropology isn’t just about digging up old bones like Indiana Jones (though, yes, archaeology is a subfield, and some people do get to unearth fascinating artifacts). Anthropology is far broader than that. It’s the study of humans in every possible way—past, present, biological, cultural, and linguistic. It examines why societies form, how languages evolve, what leads civilizations to collapse, and even why your mom insists on using a hundred emojis in every text message. More importantly, anthropology is about understanding complexity. It explores how customs develop, how traditions spread, and why what’s considered polite in one culture might be rude in another. It’s not a discipline for those who crave clear-cut answers or a world that always makes sense, but if you find yourself drawn to ambiguity and nuance, you may be wired for it.

You Question Everything

Some people hear a fact and accept it at face value. Others need to know who said it, where it came from, and why it matters. If you’re the type who immediately wonders how relationship norms have evolved over time when someone claims monogamy is “natural,” or if you instinctively analyze how cultural norms shape behavior when told that a certain gesture is polite in one country but offensive in another, then anthropology might be a natural fit for you. Like conspiracy theorists, anthropologists question everything. The difference is that an anthropologist doesn’t stop at doubt—they look for evidence, patterns, and deeper explanations. If you’ve ever responded to an explanation with “Okay, but why?” five times in a row, you’re already practicing anthropology without realizing it.

You See the World as a Story That Needs Interpreting

Anthropology is about telling the human story, observing the world, interpreting it, making sense of the patterns, and uncovering the deeper reasons behind them. Some anthropologists document fieldwork and social patterns through academic writing, crafting detailed analyses of why civilizations rose and fell. Others focus on preserving oral histories from communities whose stories might otherwise be erased. Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, you might be someone who naturally explains things in a way that makes people think. Perhaps you notice a trend in pop culture and immediately start breaking it down in your head, analyzing where it came from, why it’s resonating now, and what it says about society. If you instinctively narrate the world around you—whether through words, videos, or casual conversations—you’re already approaching life like an anthropologist.

You’re Comfortable with Gray Areas

Some disciplines thrive on definitive answers, but anthropology thrives on ambiguity. Human behavior is rarely black and white, and anthropology embraces that reality rather than shying away from it. Contradictions are everywhere—one culture’s idea of progress may be another’s idea of destruction. A single historical event might be remembered in vastly different ways depending on who tells the story. Some questions about humanity may never have a single, satisfying answer, and that’s okay. If you find yourself frustrated when people demand oversimplified answers to complex questions, you’d likely feel at home in anthropology. The field isn’t concerned with proving who’s right or wrong but with understanding why different perspectives exist in the first place.

You People-Watch… Analytically

Everyone watches people now and then, but an anthropologist does more than just observe—they analyze. Sitting in a coffee shop, you might not only notice how people order drinks but also wonder why some cultures emphasize efficiency while others value politeness and small talk. Walking through an airport, you don’t just see the different approaches to personal space; you consider how cultural backgrounds influence those differences. In a group setting, you naturally pick up on power dynamics—who speaks the most, who stays quiet, and how body language subtly communicates dominance or deference. If you’ve ever caught yourself mentally constructing theories about human behavior based on everyday interactions, you’re already thinking like an anthropologist, even if you’ve never studied it formally.

Some people are natural anthropologists long before they ever study it. Maybe you’re already decoding human behavior, seeing patterns in culture, and asking questions about why people do what they do. Maybe you’ve never thought about anthropology before, but suddenly, it feels like something you’ve been doing all along—just without the academic jargon. If that’s you, congratulations. You’re already thinking like an anthropologist. The real question is, are you ready to make it official?