What do you want to major in? What do you want to be when you graduate college? Where do you think you would want to work? These are questions that college students are forced to think about everyday. Although all students are asked these questions daily, very few have answers and stand by them throughout their four years.
After graduating high school, it seems as if students are faced with life changing questions as soon as they receive their diploma. But at the age of 18, how can you be so sure as to what your life is going to be like in the next 10 years? When asked if he knew exactly what he wanted to study and what he wanted to be when he was a freshman at the University of Arizona, sophomore AJ Amos said, “At first I wanted to study physiology and go on to medical school to study internal medicine. I wasn’t unhappy with my major. I was just unsure about going to medical school. The more I thought about it, I became unsure about being a doctor. It seemed as if my family was more sure about me becoming a doctor than I was.”
Sometimes students follow through with their plans and sometimes they do not. If everything does not go exactly according to plan or if your goals change, it is completely understandable. Many students arrive at UA with a set plan and their future mapped out for the next eight years. However, as some come to find out, their interests, their goals, and even their perspective on what they want from a career can change. Part of the process of attending college is discovering who you are as a person and what interests you the most. When asked if her interests and goals changed, sophomore Taylor Lutich said, “I knew what I wanted to study, but the possibilities of my career choices changed for me. What I wanted had changed. I got to college thinking I was going to be a doctor. Then, after talking to people, I realized that there are many variations in the medical field.”
Though it may seem tedious at times, general education classes and electives are a great way to find out what students like and dislike. Sometimes the hardest part in choosing a major is knowing the direction you want to take. The solution to this dilemma is to take classes that seem interesting and give them a try. If it turns out that they were not what you were looking for, then try something else. What made Lutich finally add psychology as her major was taking classes that interested her as she said, “I took PYSCH 101 and I liked it. It made me realize I want to pursue it. I am thrilled as I feel that I’m giving myself a greater opportunity to have a career that I can have for the rest of my life.”
No matter what direction you choose to follow, it is essential that you choose that path for yourself and that whatever you choose brings you joy. If he could give any advice to incoming freshman and those who are unsure of what they want to study, Amos said, “Students should consider what they are doing now and if they are doing it for themselves. You do not have to know exactly what you want right away, but try and discover what you love doing. Once you have chosen a field that interests you, be prepared to put in the effort and do whatever it takes to pursue your goals.”