Freshman year is crazy, isn’t it? You step foot on this enormous campus, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready for a great semester. Everything is going to be perfect, right? Wrong.
I’m not trying to crush any dreams here, I promise, but I wish I knew how hectic my first semester was going to be before I got there.
I like planning. I had my whole academic career mapped out before I had even graduated high school. I was going to get my diploma, make my way to Penn State, spend a beautiful four years on a pre-med track and then graduate with a Bachelors of Science in 2024. From there, I planned to enroll in med school, graduate and become a phenomenal surgeon, doctor or something great like that.
It sounded like a grand idea to me. After one difficult semester of chemistry, biology, psychology and more, I was d-o-n-e. Done. I quickly realized med school probably wasn’t for me. Initially, were my dreams crushed? Yes.
Am I okay now as a sophomore in an obscure major that I didn’t even know existed? Absolutely.
I can’t lie, I’ve always been a bit of a showboat. For as long as I can remember, I felt confident in my academic capabilities, but let me tell you, that first semester had me thinking otherwise. For the first time in my life, I was challenged in school and that just didn’t sit right with me.
I slipped into a slump, I lost that fire in my belly and I was giving the absolute minimum effort in school. I spent a lot of my time on TikTok instead of studying. I felt like the shell of my former overachiever self and it was painful.
I hopped on a Zoom with my academic advisor to sort this enigma out. We tried to psychoanalyze why I wasn’t doing so well, but we couldn’t really pinpoint why at the time. Over the next few weeks, I did some soul searching. Did I really want to be a doctor?
Well, I’m passionate about anatomy and human health, that’s for sure, but does that mean I have to be a doctor? No. I’m passionate about a lot of things, actually. I love English, the environment and public speaking, too. As I was taking my mandatory chemistry classes, I couldn’t help but wonder what things would be like if I were pursuing an English major instead — something I’m truly, incandescently passionate about.
That idea danced around my head for a good bit. I finally had enough of it and scheduled yet another advising appointment. My advisor told me that, chances are, I was in the wrong major. I hated hearing that and I was scared to admit it to myself, but it was terribly true.
My disinterest in school was alarming and unlike me. I decided to put on my big girl pants, accept the fact that I made a mistake, and change my major that night to English. I was temporarily content with this decision until scheduling rolled around. I was scared about job security upon graduation, my personal happiness and future finances.
I panicked, consulted my academic advisor again and decided to take a new approach. I wanted to stick with science, since I’m passionate about certain aspects of it, after all.
With three semesters under my belt, I can safely say that I am happy with my new academic plan. I decided to double major in biobehavioral health and English. This way, I’m able to pursue what I love and keep my career options open.
It’s really hard to decide your life’s calling at 19, so I haven’t made any terribly permanent decisions. Some majors can be super restricting and limiting, so it’s important to look before you leap. Upon graduation, I can work for the CDC, write scientific publications, become a physician’s assistant, further my education and become a doctor or much more. I’m so much happier in my classes and I actually feel confident about my future. Changing my major so early was definitely one of the greatest decisions I’ve made so far.
I feel as though there is a huge stigma surrounding major changes. Everyone makes you feel like you’re indecisive, not smart enough for the program you’re in or generally unprepared. Full disclosure, I used to think this way myself.
More recently, I learned that if you’re paying thousands of dollars, you better have one hell of a passion for what you’re studying. I think the first year of college is the best time to explore your options, honestly. If worst comes to worst, you mess up, pick the wrong major and use the first year’s worth of credits as gen eds. Keep an open mind and the right program will find you.