How I decided on my major and minor.
*Please note that this article reflects the personal experiences of the author and is not intended to be seen or perceived as advice from a professional.*
As the winter semester begins, many students are faced with the daunting task of choosing a major and for some, thinking of a minor. I remember the seemingly endless options and the internal struggle that came with deciding. As a result, I changed my mind countless times that winter semester. Applying for a major feels like a big decision. Sometimes it feels too big, almost as though that is the only thing that matters (spoiler- it’s not). Here are some things that I found helpful to ponder when I was a first-year student trying to find some certainty in my academic future.
- I asked myself what i liked to learn
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Simple, right? I looked at the courses I had taken and thought carefully about what I liked and didn’t like about each one. I tried to focus on the material of the class rather than the professors or if I had friends in the class. What classes do I talk about most or look forward to attending? Enjoying the content (or even thinking I might like the content if it was presented differently) was an important factor in my decision. I was comforted with the reminder that just because you decide on a major doesn’t inherently mean you have to forfeit your other interests. You can take them as electives or make them your minor!
- What are my degree goals?
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I asked myself what it was I wanted out of my degree (not my career, but my degree). Was it to make connections, improve my writing skills, understand human behaviour better, or apply to a grad school? Did I want to try out research or work closely with a professor? Was there a certain area of academia I wanted to grow in? In terms of my minor, I asked myself what complemented both my degree goals and my career goals. What did I want to fill my elective spaces with?
- What are my career goals?
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I asked myself what exactly my degree might get me in the most realistic sense. I looked at job outcomes for people with bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in the areas I thought I was interested in. Many people think that they want to attend grad school in their first year but only a minority do apply and attend. It was important to me to look at options with and without a graduate degree.
I also tried to think of the scope of my degree, what are two totally different options I might have within the same degree? For example, I thought about majoring in philosophy in my first year. Career options I knew about included writing and teaching, but after doing some research I learned that lots of philosophy graduates also go into computer science or work for the bank! The same goes for my degree in social psychology. I knew that lots of people went to graduate school for research or psychotherapy, but others end up working as teachers, editors, or at addictions or youth programs! There are always more options than you think.
- “You can always change your mind”
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Yes, it isn’t that simple, and yes it isn’t ideal. The goal of course, is not to turn your 4-year degree into a 6-year degree, but if that is what it takes to find your passion and niche, it might just be worth it. Although this phrase was sometimes frustrating for me to hear, it is a good message. This decision isn’t the be-all end-all. Hopefully it’s right but if not, you’ll find out and then have the choice of sticking with it or changing it. I found it helpful to remember that I could pick my major and then just see how the next semester went and if I didn’t like it, I would deal with it then.
Caring about what we do in school is important, but it remember – it doesn’t need to be all-consuming <3