IVYLEE ROSARIO — Special to Southern News
Overbearing coursework, worries about studying, lack of relaxation–these are just some of the struggles college students are facing. Karen Forte, 20, said the main difficulty she faces is the decision of what major to choose.
“I have no idea what major I should choose. I like art but then I also like parks and recreation. I also wanted to check out marketing, so I have no clue what direction I should go in,” said Forte, sophomore undeclared major. “It’s just a really difficult decision and I don’t want to make the wrong one and then end up in a major I don’t like and have work I can’t handle.”
The Major Decisions workshop provided information to students about the steps they can take in choosing a major, as well as ways they can narrow down their search for the perfect one.
“We encourage more students to come to these workshops because they really do help,” said Hannah Hinde, 23-year-old graduate intern at the Center for Career Services. “The workshop can help with a student’s search for their major and show them the different options they have when it comes to what careers they can have with that major.”
The Center for Career Services offers different types of programs to Southern’s students in order to help with their career paths. These include several different workshops; the career fairs include education and nursing and general majors, resumania, one-on-one career counseling and even on-campus interviews.
“These workshops and programs we provide for students can help them form the skills that will help them when they graduate and are out searching for their first job. Some students get so caught up on their major only having one use and not getting the perfect job,” said Patricia Whelan, director of cooperative education. “The truth is that for most students, they always start at a smaller level job and then work their way up. Students just have to concentrate on what major they can be the most dedicated to and will actually enjoy when they end up in a career.”
The Major Decisions workshop was created to reach out to students who are having difficulty figuring out what major they will be best in. Students should research what majors they can relate to best by taking a look at their hobbies, subjects they like and even their favorite classes from high school. If they still have no idea which major to choose, they can take the career concepts and exploration class offered at Southern every fall.
“This class is good because it helps students focus on themselves and find out what they are most passionate about and can relate that back to their major choices,” said Whelan.
The major’s workshop also gave advice on how to get started with a student’s major choice. The Career Center suggests students set specific goals for themselves regarding the search for their major, make appointments with different advisers from several majors to narrow down their search and ask themselves questions about what they enjoy and might want to pursue.
“Sometimes students can even shadow a person in a specific career and that may help them make a choice about which major they want to carry on with,” said Hinde.