So long high school! After countless pep rallies, homecomings, track meets, debates, field trips, assemblies, and a prom, you are now ready to become the proud owner of a shiny new diploma and apply for college. But how on earth will you choose a major? After all this is THE most important decision of your life. Your entire future rests on this one choice. And once a decision is made, it can’t be unmade…right? Wrong.
Undeclared. Let’s take the pressure off! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to know what you want to do with the rest of your life by your eighteenth birthday. Many students enter college with an undeclared major. If you have a variety of interests or if you lack direction completely, this is the major for you. All first and second year students are required to take classes across multiple subjects. This is going to help a lot! Once you find a topic that is especially interesting to you start taking more classes in that subject. Before you know it you will have a major (or two) emerging.
Declared. You might already have an idea of what you want to study. Maybe you are passionate about cooking, or science, or Spanish. In that case, jump into those classes with both feet! On the other hand, you might pick something because you have a vague interest in it or because you think you can get a stable career in that field. You might end up loving it or you might hate it. Not to worry if it’s not the right path for you. Many students change their major a couple of times before graduation. Not only that, but several majors have overlapping course requirements. That means that multiple classes can be taken that help narrow down options without having to spend excess time (or money) in college.
Employment. After graduation there’s no guarantee that you will actually work in the same field that you received your degree in. But a college degree says more about you than “student is proficient in math”. It shows that you are responsible, capable, teachable, and intelligent. Simply having a degree, no matter what the major, will give you a marked advantage when it comes to getting a job. The 3 most important things to remember as you enter the college years are study hard, play hard, and change the world. Good luck grad!
