Since I got accepted into Baylor University, I have changed my major 3 times. I’ve gone through the whirlwind of emotions that comes with not knowing exactly what I want to do with my life. It was difficult to decide on a major amongst my peers in high school because it felt like everyone else was so sure of what they were wanting to do. I had so many interests and passion that I didn’t want to leave behind by being 100% committed to a specific field of study.
Before I even graduated from high school, I knew that I wanted to change my major from nursing to music education. I knew that the only reason I was drawn to nursing at first was that I wanted to help people, but also knew that I would burn out very quickly in the medical field. It’s in our innate human nature to want to help others which oftentimes leads to wanting to study medicine, but the high-intensity nature of the field might not be for everyone (including me). I thought about my other passions and knew that I loved music so I thought music education would be a great fit based on how it combined helping people with my love for music. Turns out, I loved playing and performing music, but I realized I wouldn’t be able to turn it into a career based on my lack of dedication to constant practice.
So now what? I was about to head to orientation (yes I know, I haven’t even gotten to Baylor yet and was freaking out) and had no major set in stone. I knew I liked the idea of teaching or mentoring students and also knew I had a passion for writing…English! So I changed my major to secondary education English language arts and thoroughly enjoyed my classes throughout the semester. Sitting across from my students every Tuesday and Thursday to teach them vocabulary was fun but I felt like I was still missing something.
At the end of last semester, I had some conversations with a friend that made me want to change my major again. I wanted to incorporate all of my passions into my major but finally realized that this was unrealistic. Thinking about what could give me the most options in my career paths and what would let me tap into the creative side of my brain I finally decided to double major in business and professional writing & rhetoric with a minor in public relations. This is a major that combines my love for writing with my desire for variety in my career. While I know that there is still a possibility I change my major, I also know that college is the right time to be exploring my options. I also realized that sometimes a passion can just stay a passion, it doesn’t have to become a career.
It is scary changing to a major that you aren’t entirely sure will lead to a secure career, but don’t let that fear keep you in a major you don’t enjoy. Don’t be afraid to talk to your advisor or a professor about changing your major! No matter what major you decide on, there will always be days that you’ll find yourself stressing about your workload and overwhelmed by exams, but the majority of your days will be spent excited to learn more. College is a time for you to grow and should be used to help you find a major that will allow you to do that.