If you just want to initialize outside of any method then use the initializer blocks :
import java.util.ArrayList;
public class Test {
private ArrayList<String> symbolsPresent = new ArrayList<String>();
// All you need is this block.
{
symbolsPresent = new ArrayList<String>();
symbolsPresent.add("ONE");
symbolsPresent.add("TWO");
symbolsPresent.add("THREE");
symbolsPresent.add("FOUR");
}
public ArrayList<String> getSymbolsPresent() {
return symbolsPresent;
}
public void setSymbolsPresent(ArrayList<String> symbolsPresent) {
this.symbolsPresent = symbolsPresent;
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
Test t = new Test();
System.out.println("Symbols Present is" + t.symbolsPresent);
}
}