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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

So I decided to change majors exactly halfway through my college career. I call this my mid-college crisis. Changing your major is a pretty big decision since your college degree plays a big part in determining your future and career. I started my freshman year as an Acting major. I was so excited to be a part of this selective program because I was lucky enough to enter college studying something I loved. However, by the end of my sophomore year, I didn’t feel this way anymore. This major really took a toll on my self esteem and overall it just didn’t feel like the right place for me at this point in my life. That’s when I knew I had to make a decision.

 

When I decided I wanted to switch majors, my biggest concern was not being able to graduate on time. As a rising junior, I knew it would be difficult to fit an entire major’s worth of classes into two years. I also had plans to study abroad in the spring of my junior year and I really didn’t want to lose that incredible opportunity. Another struggle was deciding which major to switch to. A lot of cool majors at Penn State require four years worth of attention, so my options were limited. My final fear was losing some great friends I had made in the Acting program over the past two years.

 

I didn’t want to continue being unhappy, so I talked to my advisor. I knew I still wanted to be a part of the entertainment industry, so I reached out to the College of Communications. Over the summer I spoke with many advisors and they were able to help me find a new major and plan out every semester for my final two years of school. They were even able to put my previous Acting credits to use toward a second major, as well as keeping my study abroad plans in tact!

 

Currently, I am a junior double majoring in both Theatre Studies and Telecommunications. I am still planning on graduating in 2021 (Shoutout to the class of 2021!). I am currently studying abroad in London. And I am still close with some of my acting friends, even though we are no longer classmates. I can honestly say that I never expected any of this entering Penn State, however, I am extremely happy with the change. I just want to end this by saying, it is possible to change majors as an upperclassman while still achieving all of your college goals. If you are unhappy, it is up to you to make that change.

Jackie Maese is a senior at Penn State majoring in Telecommunications and Theater Studies. If she's not writing at her laptop, you can probably find her cooking up a masterpiece, petting a dog, or eating a New Jersey bagel.
Bailey McBride is a Senior at Penn State University pursuing a Broadcast Journalism degree with minors in Political Science and Digital Media Trends & Analytics. She is a sister of Delta Gamma. She enjoys making hyper-organizational lists and looking at future pups to adopt. Her dream job is to be Press Secretary of the White House.