I had about 30 different ideas of what I wanted to do with my life when I came to college. I decided it was best to come in as undecided so that I could leave my options open, but ended up making my schedule as if I was a Forensic Science major. I was declared as Pre-Nursing at the end of my freshman year after a terrible grade in Chemistry 2. Sophomore year, after having to withdraw from Anatomy 2, I didn’t think nursing was for me anymore, and I wanted to do either Community Health or Psychology. Then, I somehow landed back on Pre-Nursing. The moral of the story is that I had literally no idea what I was doing with my life. This was extremely stressful and gave me quite a few identity crises. However, I know that it was a completely normal and valid experience and that many other college students feel the same way.
There’s a big stigma around being “undecided.” People assume you don’t have any goals or that you are just too indecisive to make up your mind. However, I see it as having multiple interests and not knowing which to pursue professionally. Having such a heavy life decision looming over you is taxing in itself, but having to deal with people’s judgments is a whole other problem.
While being undecided has some cons, it also has a lot of benefits that are overlooked. One thing I really appreciated about being undecided was that it kept my options open. Students mostly take Gen Eds coming into Freshman year, so having the opportunity to take a few electives that really interest you will allow you to see what you truly enjoy. According to a recent study done by the Education Advisory Board, students who declare their major slightly later in their college career are more likely to graduate than those who declared a major their first semester of college. This is because it prevents tunnel vision and allows you to discover and take full advantage of what your university has to offer.
Being undecided also allows you to grow as a person. I found myself thinking more introspectively than I ever had before, taking quiz after quiz about which career was right for me. While it was a little convoluted and discouraging at times, those career assessments forced me to prioritize what I was looking for and enjoyed. It’s obviously helpful if you already know exactly what you want to do when you come to college, but having an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your passions is beneficial.
Many people pursue careers that are entirely unlike their college major. “Friends” actress Lisa Kudrow majored in Biology in hopes of pursuing research but ended up becoming an actress on one of the most famous sitcoms of all time. Former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren worked as a public school teacher, received a law degree, and was a law professor all before she became a famous politician. We aren’t married to our college majors, they just give us a path for the future.
If you’re stressed about deciding what to do with the rest of your life, take a deep breath. It’s a struggle that so many college students go through, and there are a few ways to help. One available tool is Career Services. You can make an appointment with a career coach and take a multitude of interest tests to gauge what you may like or be good at. You can also expand your class schedule to things you’ve always been interested in but maybe haven’t looked too much into yet. It is always helpful to have as much information as you can. Most importantly, don’t let this stress consume you. Think about who you are and what you like, and then just have fun with it!