As someone who always loved sticking to a plan, entering college without a major didn’t sit well with me at first. It seemed like everyone around me had a clear idea of what they were doing, and I was somehow behind. I even used to feel embarrassed getting the typical “What’s your major?” question over and over again. But after my first year of college, I’ve learned so much about myself, my goals, and my future career path – and most importantly I realized that starting college with an undeclared major is completely okay! Here’s some of what I learned:
1. You can still graduate on time! A big myth about being undeclared is that you won’t be able to graduate in four years. The first year of college classes mainly just consists of general education requirements anyway, so even your friends with majors will be taking the same courses as you.
2. Take a variety of classes and see what you like. Use that first year of gen ed’s to branch out and learn about different things! Not only will this help you find subjects that you like, but it also helps you figure out what you don’t like — which is just as important.
3. Join clubs on campus that interest you. I always knew I liked writing and media, but it wasn’t until I joined Her Campus that I was able to learn so much more about the industry and different career options, which eventually led me to pick my major. Finding a club or organization that you are passionate about will really open your eyes to different opportunities within that industry, or even introduce you to career paths that you didn’t know existed!
4. Don’t declare a major just for the sake of having one. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is rushing into a major that you know nothing about and don’t really love just because you’re anxious to choose one. You’ll figure it all out at your own pace. Just give yourself the time to come to a clear and confident decision.
We don’t always have a specific plan laid out for us to follow, and that’s okay, that’s life! Sometimes the first step in getting there is admitting that you don’t know what you want to do. Having an open mind, a willingness to learn and a strong work ethic will lead you to success – in whatever field that may be.