Starting Over in the Middle: Jaymie Kennedy

When you get accepted to college, everyone starts asking what your plans are, what’s your major and what do you want to do post-college—before you can even take classes to help you figure out what you want to do with your life. I believe the misconception with college is that you must have a plan the whole time; honestly, most of us have no idea what we’re doing. That is the beauty of college: getting to take classes to expose yourself to a bigger world, have time for trial and error to figure what works best for you and that no one student is on the same pathway as another.  

However, time in college goes faster than anyone can anticipate, so keeping a realistic look at what can work for you after college is crucial. I sat down with my roommate, who is also one of my best friends that I’ve known since high school, to talk about her story of going from a pre-med major to applying to the Interior Design Program at Florida State University. 

Her Campus (HC): What were your plans coming to Florida State University? 

Jaymie Kennedy (JK): I came in as an Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences major with plans to apply to the Physician Assistant Program and become a Pediatric Physician Assistant. 

HC: What were some challenges you didn’t anticipate but had to deal with while in that major?

JK: The workload was expected to be a good amount, but it became overwhelming to the point of not being productive. I felt like I was constantly catching up compared to learning. Also, maintaining a job while trying to balance a huge workload caused too much anxiety in my daily life. 

HC: When did you realize you were ready to change majors, and what actions did you take to leave the pre-med world? What has changed as a result of these actions?

JK: It was genuinely a buildup that started from when I took my first class here. Every day it felt more and more not right for me to be studying pre-med. Honestly, I was in my Chemistry II class and my professor was going over our exam review and there was an equation where I knew what it was but not what to do with it. The professor continued saying how we should have this down pat and that it was such a basic lesson to know from previous classes, and I just sat there ready to break down, not sure why I didn’t know it. I went to my advisor and switched that day because I realized I was miserable trying to force myself into a major I didn’t care for anymore. As a result of trying to get into the Interior Design program, none of my pre-requisites crossed over, so I am expected to graduate in 2024 now, but I see it as worth it. 

HC: Has changing your major opened any new opportunities for you? 

JK: Because I had more availability and time on my hands, I was able to receive a promotion at my job and take on more of a leadership role. I also researched more on what it meant to be a virtual assistant and took a Master Class to try and start a side business for myself.  

HC: Do you have any advice for current college students who feel conflicted with their own major?

JK: Do what you want to do, not what others want you to do. Even though college is stressful and pushes you, there is a certain point where you know it isn’t right, so find what is. 

Changing your path can be scary, but following your gut instinct and going after something you’re passionate about will pay off for any extra “inconveniences” that come with changing it. Never hold back from doing something out of fear of what if. 

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