Changing your major is hard, but so is working towards a degree you don’t want! In the words of a wise fitness influencer I follow, “choose your hard.” Here are three things you should know before you make a major change.
A New Plan is Still a Plan
It’s so easy to get sucked into a plan. I know I did! It all started junior year of high school; I was going to go to TCU for an undergraduate degree in speech language pathology for four years. Then, I would move home for a two year graduate program, and then I would work. For the rest of my life.
This plan was familiar and, therefore, it was safe. So, when I did not want it anymore, I felt scared. Why throw out a perfectly good plan?
That type of thinking is no good. Not only does it prevent meaningful growth, it’s not logical! Just because a plan is old and engrained, does not automatically mean it’s right for you. Start to build a new plan. A new plan is still a plan. It’s true; it’s sort of like scrapping a school project diorama, throwing out the first batch of macrons or saying goodbye to your Under Armor sports bra from middle school that’s still holding on. Sure, it’s tangible and right in front of you, but it doesn’t meet your needs!
Talk to Everyone!
Q: How do you go about making a new plan?
A: Talk to everyone.
What do I mean by this? Should you talk to your notoriously pessimistic grandma? No. But, you should reach out for help from your career advisor, your academic advisor, your priest, your sister who’s in law school. Yes. Yes. Yes, if you trust them. And, yes, if you want to go to law school too or if you trust your big sis’s advice.
My point being: work it all out with the help of capable, knowledgeable, trustworthy people. Not only will they support you in this scary time of navigating the unknown, they will have solid advice.
You might protest: What if I have no earthly idea what I want to do? To this I have two responses.
First, try self reflection. For me, I always had law school in the back of my mind. I knew that was a path open to me I would enjoy pursuing. Maybe there’s something there you haven’t identified yet.
Second, don’t be afraid to open up to an audience. There will never another time in your life where it will be more okay to say, “I have no idea what I’m doing and what I want.” Adults get this. They went through college. They felt the fear and lived through it. So, when they hear a college student looking for help, they can’t help but feel empathetic. This translates to a huge resource pool for you!
But… Trust Yourself
After you have sorted through everyone else’s guidance, you must identify what resonates. Not all advice is for you. Not that it’s bad advice. But, my guess is that if you are changing your major, it’s because it doesn’t work for you. So, dig deep.
I find journaling super helpful when sorting out how I feel about something. I also gain clarity from talking out loud, usually to a willing friend or family member. Let yourself find a plan you are excited about! That seems promising.
You know what’s best for you. Good luck!