It’s OK To Be Unsure About Your Major

I’m sure we’ve all known that kid who knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up—or maybe that kid was us! The age-old question in school was often met with the classic answers: firefighter, policeman, doctor, and more. Some people’s goals and dreams never varied from their middle school motivations, but others may find when applying to college that they may not have their life as figured out as they thought—and that’s okay. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to have a solid, four-year plan when starting college. Discovering what major is right for you may take some time, and hopefully these perspectives will help you be more at ease in your college pathway.

When I was applying to schools, I had no clue what major I wanted to do. I knew I liked theatre, but I also liked writing, and I had always been interested in coding. It seemed too daunting of a task to just choose one major. So, I applied as undecided. That’s right; you don’t have to choose your major right away! Some people advise against this when it comes to admissions, but in the end, it’s up to you. Most colleges are aware that students will change their major anyway. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that about 80% of college students change their major at some point!

Whether you declare a major or not, the time to really explore is your freshman year. If you really aren’t sure of what major you’re interested in, take as diverse of a course load as possible. If you have even the slightest interest in a field, try to take an intro class, or see if you could sit in on a lecture. Oftentimes, the idea people have of an industry or profession doesn’t accurately reflect what you’ll actually be doing, so getting firsthand experience is the only way to know if you’ll like it.

The last thing to remember is that it’s almost never too late to change your major. I know people who switched completely their second semester of sophomore year and who were ten times happier because of it. Even if you’re not satisfied with your studies towards the end of your degree, this still doesn’t seal your fate. A CareerBuilder survey showed that 32 percent of college grads surveyed had never worked in a field related to their major. So, if you decide you want to go into a field outside your major, you still can find success.

I hope these insights help in your search for your major, and let you know that whatever you choose, it won’t define your life! There’s always an opportunity to study something new or explore a new field, and many people shift their majors and careers throughout their life.

Never be ashamed of being uncertain about your future. Just remember to be open to new things, and you’ll discover your pathway before you know it!

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