Today: Nov 05, 2024

The most stressful decision in college: Choosing a major

Photo Courtesy | www.stmarkscarmel.org

Kelsey Mix – Copy Editor

Let me ask you something: When did you experience that moment when you knew what you wanted to do for the rest of your life? Which major you wanted to study? Were you sure of your future in high school, or are you still undecided? I’ve discovered some tips if you’re unsure or still questioning which path to follow on the US News website.

Take it step by step.

The first step is to find resources on campus that will help you decide your major of study. Stop by a department of your choice or make an appointment with Career Services to speak to an expert.

Photo Courtesy | www.stmarkscarmel.org
Photo Courtesy | www.stmarkscarmel.org

If at first you don’t find what you’re looking for, talk to friends and family and get their input.

If you’re really looking into one major specifically, but can’t push yourself to declare that major, take a few entry level courses as your second step.

Get a feel for what you’ll be studying if you stick with these courses. This is why many students come into college undecided, so they can test the waters and find out what interests them the most.

The next step isn’t something you’ll find in an office or classroom, but within yourself. Most people change when they come to college, so you might find that your interests in high school are different from those now. Explore more opportunities and broaden your horizons.

Something else that will help spark an interest is clubs! On any college campus, you’re bound to find a club for almost every major.

And if you’re extremely interested in a major, there’s no rule against starting your own organization. This goes back to getting a feel for who else is in a certain major and getting advice from other students like yourself.

An alternative way to look at this is to look at your strengths and weaknesses.

If you’re not good with kids, maybe elementary education isn’t for you.

But if you’re good at math or science, biology or business could be the way to go. Consider your options; are you a people person? Would you enjoy working in a cubicle for eight hours a day?

Money.

Another very important aspect of going to college is money.

If you’re tight on cash and have to take out a bunch of loans, you might be looking to spend as little time as possible in school, am I right?

If you’re majoring in education, expect to be in school for at least six years, maybe even seven if you take the minimum amount of classes each semester and go for your Master’s.

But Southern specifically could be tough because of the new tiers that were added to the class requirements last year.

Now, one of the most important things to consider is your future. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What is your dream job? What do you really want in life? These questions only begin some of the major ones to deliberate about while deciding a major.

Find what you love. 

Take me for example; I’ve been going back and forth between a few majors because I can see my life going one of three ways.

I could become an elementary school teacher, something I’ve wanted to do my entire life, or take a riskier route and just major in one subject; English is one I’ve been thinking about.

I would love to just start writing novels when I get out of college. Either that or become a college English professor.

Or I could take a completely different approach and pursue my YouTube channel and become a freelance makeup artist, but I don’t think I have the guts to do that.

While going through these steps, I’ve just about overdone the whole choosing-my-path-in-life thing. It would definitely be more difficult to get on my feet after college if I went to write and/or become a makeup artist, and I would have a lot more security if I found a steady teaching job.

This is the perfect example of what we need to think about.

Would you rather feel more secure in a job that you just like or chase a dream?

There’s a saying that I contemplate from time-to-time, “Do what you love, love what you do.”

And this is what sparks me to second-guess my life choices.

To me, this sounds a little ridiculous because I’m only 19 years old, but according to some, I should have my life figured out by now.

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