Did you know the most common major at SF State is undeclared? Being undecided and lost in college is more common than you think. It’s incredulous that Gen Zers are expected to pick a career path and stick with it for the rest of their lives at such young formative late teenage years. In a society where there’s so much pressure to always have everything figured out, here are some important tips to those who need some guidance with navigating their interests in college.
Take a Gap Year or Semester
There is a certain stigma around taking a gap year or semester most people shy away from. So many people go straight into college right out of high school without a moment to decide anything for themselves save for just wanting to party hard away from their parents, and then end up in an unmotivated lull realizing that temporary high wasn’t worth it. Others are already in college, but just went there to fulfill an expected quota. Still others don’t enjoy their majors or pathways they originally thought they would enjoy.
So if you’re in the middle of your college journey and feeling burned out, listen to yourself. Maybe you need time off to really come back strong to continue your college career. While it may feel pressuring to graduate “on time”, there is no “on time” in college. People of all ages attend university from all walks of life, and just because you finish a few years later than most in your age group because you took a gap doesn’t mean you’re any less worthy of your achievement. Having time back with your family, working at a job, or just spending time for self enjoyment can be a season of refreshment that leads back to a better college experience.
Start With Your GEneral education classes
There is a lot of discrepancy on how the traditional college roadmap requires you to take a hefty amount of general education classes, even in college. Many people think it is a waste of time or just an excuse that colleges use to keep you in school longer- but embrace it! These GEs can provide you with new interests in fields you never thought you would look into. This is also a great opportunity for you to befriend and network with classmates and professors of wholly different majors. Even if it’s completely left field to your major, these classes can be a refreshing switch up from your general bulk of courses. Who knows, you might end up minoring in one of your GEs!
Get Help When You Need It
College may be seen as a time where students are supposed to be grown and independent, but you might need advisors and counselors more than you think. Department advisors are there for you whether it’s about your major, classes, scheduling, and much more. Degree planners might be outdated or inaccurate. Maybe you want to know what semesters a class is available. In scenarios like this, reaching out to an advisor is your best bet. While their availability has always been pretty limited in my experience, scheduling appointments way in advance can help.
Change Your Major!
Never feel boxed into what you chose to study. Changing majors can be scary, but it can be so much more beneficial in the long run. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 80% of college students change their major at least once, with some even changing it at least three times. It doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. You might have some overlap between your already fulfilled pre-requisites and the degree roadmap of your new major that can allow you to skate past some of those foundational courses. Of course it’s best to change as early as possible so you don’t graduate late, but even if you do, the change will still be worth it. College is truly a time of self discovery and navigation into not only what you want to study but yourself as a person, and you should never feel pressured to have everything figured out. Enjoy it!