Having been through my fair share of majors, I know what it’s like to feel pretty lost when it comes to figuring out your place in this big world of possibilities. Exhibit A: Entering college as a freshman four years ago, I declared a major in biology and planned on going to optometry school after graduation in hopes of becoming an eye doctor. Five changes of major and four years later, I’m a senior, public relations major relishing in the creative, exciting field of journalism. See ladies, complete opposite sides of the spectrum and somehow, miraculously, I am still graduating pretty much on time (just a few classes over the summer to finish up).
In fact, about 50% of students who declare a major when entering college wind up changing, often two or three times, throughout their college years according to Fritz Grupe, founder of MyMajors.com. Furthermore, according to the College Board, roughly 40% of students who start a four-year degree program still have not finished after year six. While some may feel it’s okay to take time completing college, others would rather do everything they can now to ensure they end up in the right field in order to graduate on time and move on with their adult life as soon as possible. Here are a few ways to ensure you can do just that:
1. Be honest with yourself.
This may seem like a cliché no-brainer, but so many students seem to come to college with high expectations of their future career—i.e. “I’m going to study really, really, really hard…and then I’m going to law school.” “I’m going to major in biology, and then go to med school to be an anesthesiologist.” “I’m going to be a photojournalist and travel the world.” These are all great ambitions, and many individuals stick to their guns and do just what they always planned. The majority of us, however, declares a major and realizes after a semester or two that it’s not exactly what we thought. Then what? Think about what you’ve always had a knack for, what you’ve always been naturally interested in and what you’ve always enjoyed doing without anyone else’s influence.
2. Research various careers online.
There are plenty of resources that will list endless job possibilities within each field and give a general estimate of yearly salaries. One extremely helpful online resource previously mentioned in this article is MyMajors.com. Users can sign up for free and take a quiz that inquires about interests, hobbies, personality traits, skills and learning styles. The program gives you a list of possible majors that fit you best according to what you answer. “Our mission is to assist students in identifying majors that fit them best. We provide student-friendly assessment technology and access to information about a variety of majors at a broad range of institutions,” as stated on the site. The site allows students to research more than 1,600 college majors and 40,000 pages of detailed career information.
3. Visit Career Services on campus.
For the first couple years of college, I was too cool to do this. I told myself I didn’t need someone else to help me decide what I wanted to do with my life and was set on figuring it out on my own. It wasn’t until I was in my fourth major, sitting in class frustrated knowing that this still wasn’t it, that I admitted I needed help. Sometimes, it takes talking out loud to someone else and having that person relay back to you what you already know. It’s important to be passionate about what you choose, or you’ll be miserable in college and miserable for the rest of your career. Visit Career Services on campus in McLemore Hall and set up an appointment, or go to www.usm.edu/cs to browse the online resources exclusively available to Southern Miss students.
Don’t stress out too much about what major you’re in. Just because you declare yourself in a field doesn’t mean you are necessarily limited. Get creative and explore the possibilities. They’re out there; you just have to keep your eyes and ears open. College is a social learning and personal growth experience as much as it is an academic endeavor. Enjoy it, soak it all up, and learn to let go of the things you can’t control.
Sources: MyMajors.com