“I don’t really see you in that field.”
“Honestly, I think you should look at other classes.”
“Why do you want to study that anyway?”
These questions, and so many more just like them, were pretty much the only questions I received when I finally told my parents, friends, and everyone around me what I was going to major in. Though my major isn’t uncommon, for some reason, people just don’t see me in it. I don’t really understand; it’s my major, my life, my career, my decision. How can someone else tell me that I don’t belong in this field?
For a while, I thought, What if they’re right? What if I’m making the completely wrong decision? I mean, I never really considered anything other than medicine for a career until I got to college. So, why don’t I listen to everyone else and pursue a different major?
I thought that way for an entire summer. But, it finally dawned on me that it is my decision. They aren’t going to be entering a career based on this major in three years, I am. Why should I let anyone else dictate my life?
It was a bit of a wake-up call for me. I finally realized that when it comes to important decisions in my life, I need to be the one to make that decision. For so long, I let others decide for me. My parents, my friends, you name it, they were the ones making the important decisions in my life – but I am so happy that I finally made a decision for myself. I am finally interested in what I am studying, and I’ve joined organizations that I would not be a part of I didn’t pursue this major that has had such an impact on my life.
Images Courtesy of: University of Michigan and US News