Choosing a Major can be harder than it seems. We’re told as little kids that we can be whoever we want, but is it that easy? When confronted with real life choices, we as individuals begin to question how much happier we would be if we went with option A over option B. As soon as we decide on one possibility we analyze the heck out of the pros and cons of pursuing that pathway and by the end we sometimes just abandon the thought all together. That’s when our brain overloads and sparks start to burst from the circuits.
One way to reduce the stress behind making these choices is by having your parents make them for you — shouldn’t they have a say if they’re paying for your education anyways? People who follow this kind of reasoning often tend to put their dreams and expectations aside to satisfy the age old tradition of honoring your parent’s wishes. That’s when a very important issue arises: to what extent is it healthy to let your parents live vicariously through your life? In conjunction with the growing dependency that college students have on their parents, this problem is more relevant today than it ever has been. A fact that is sometimes overlooked is that nobody wants to end up unhappy. Under the circumstance that you choose to respect your parent’s opinions, if there is even a slight chance of relieving a bit of that unhappiness by placating your parents then why not settle for the major your parents want you to choose?
Here’s why you shouldn’t settle. People who believe they’re doing themselves justice by becoming a doctor or a lawyer tend to lose out on the happier, more fulfilling lives they could have lived if they had followed their passions. A helpful hint I picked up from my student advisor the other day is that what’s almost as important as finding something that you do like when choosing a major is finding something that you don’t like. Our instinct is to commit to enjoyable things in our lives, but when we realize that something isn’t going right it’s a great moment to pause and evaluate what you want on a bigger scale. My suggestions are also exactly what I claim they are, suggestions, so don’t take them as final. Remember that every situation is different from the last, and if the stars happen to align just right and both you and your parents agree that what you’re passionate about is what they would like you to major in, then by all means take advantage of your parent’s encouragement. It’s also critical to point out that not a lot of people get the chance to have their parents support what they pursue, and often times relationships suffer as a result.
Considering that physicists and researchers alike have a very low chance of uncovering the algorithms and solutions behind time travel, it would be ideal if we had the option to meet all the possible “yous” in the future. That is, if we could meet all the potential people you could turn into if you were to choose between different majors then it would make choosing a major easy. Just choose the person you most enjoy talking to or admire the most. Since this will most likely never occur, we are forced to just use our best judgment and hope the person that comes out the other side of the college machine is a person you’d like to have dinner with. But don’t worry, I hear most times they’re pretty nice.