College is all fun and games until it’s time to go from “undecided” to “declared a major.” For some, it’s pretty easy to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives, however for most it’s not that simple. Declaring a major creates a lot of stress on an individual. Not everyone knows what they want to do in the future which leads to complication in choosing a major. What happens when you don’t know what your strong skills are? What if you choose your major and after taking a few classes you realize it’s not for you? If you’re one of those people who just doesn’t know where to begin when choosing a major, then this is for you.
I came into UCF unsure of what I wanted to do in the future. I didn’t even know what skills I had that were applicable to the majors offered at UCF. Through my time of constantly changing my major and minor, I’ve finally learned what steps to take in order to accomplish your goal of choosing a major.
1.Complete Your Gen-Eds
Although this seems like a no-brainer, a lot of people opt out of this option. I thought that as soon as I came to UCF I needed to pick my major and jump into the program, but I was completely wrong. Completing your general education requirements takes about 2-3 semesters before you even declare a major. The best part about these classes is that you could take a random class that may lead you into the right steps towards declaring a major. During my freshman year I took an oral communications class that was so much fun for me. Through this gen-ed I learned that I absolutely love giving and writing speeches. Taking this class has helped me understand the direction I want to take for my career which in turn has helped me not only choose my major, but my minor as well.
2.Look Up UCF’s Completed List of Majors
Once you have taken most of your gen-ed requirements the next thing you need to do is look up every major that is offered at UCF. Once you look up the UCF list of majors you should go through them and write down every single one that looks even remotely interesting to you. Follow up by reading the required classes and look up what those classes entail. Little by little you should have narrowed down a few choices.
3.Speak to an Advisor
I cannot stress this enough. Speaking to an advisor has helped me so much in deciding what is right for my future. I’m incredibly indecisive so it’s helpful for me to talk things out with an experienced advisor. When I was juggling in between majors I went to an advisor to discuss the pros and cons of each major. It was incredibly helpful for me because she explained to me what each major has to offer and what jobs I can get when pursuing that major. Although it may seem like a lot of work to make an appointment, I can promise it is well worth it.
4.Take Online Quizzes
Another thing that has helped people decide between majors is as simple as taking an online career quiz. It’s a bit tedious, but it’s very detailed in order to give you the best answer fit for you. Once you have narrowed down a few choices, go on https://www.mymajors.com/career-list/. This is a perfect place that not only shows you what careers you can have with your chosen major, but it will also show you an average of your possible salary! Another great website is https://www.onetonline.org. here you can find data of different occupations by typing in your selected major. It will help you find a list of occupations involved with your major along with the different tasks, skills, and work activities you need in that field.
5.Utilize Career Services
One of the best things about UCF is the fact that we have a career center that helps you choose a major/career by having career counseling and assessments. The career center has a program called “Handshake” that can help you search for internships, submit applications, and even evaluate resumes. All you need to do is watch an orientation video and log in in order to get started!
6.Listen to Your Gut
While this may sound cheesy and obvious, it is very easy to get turned off by a major just because one person said something bad about it. I cannot count the amount of times someone has changed their major just because someone else has told them they won’t make any money. At the end of the day only YOU know what skills you have and what will make you happy in the future. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise because if you end up listen to some random person then you may not be happy with what you do in the future, no matter the pay.
I hope that this list was helpful to anyone who may have needed it. Remind yourself that you are not the only one who is alone in searching for a major.