Just the other day I came across a friend's Facebook post where she felt that while she is close to graduating, her heart belonged to a different major.
And all I could think was, "Oh no, maybe there's a chance that it won't turn out like my experience."
It's frustrating to go through a few years of college like you did high school, then one day come out of the fog to realize you're not fully interested in the major you chose. Now if that fog clears in the first few semesters, you're still capable of switching majors and not falling too far behind (depends on how closely related your existing and future majors are).
Honestly it's hard to not feel the pressure to go straight to college after high school, but I would still suggest weighing your options before even making that commitment if you're not fully set on something. You should at least have a general idea like "I want to teach", "I want to pursue law careers", or "I like turtles". With that mindset, you can find a school with a good program for your subject (but also make sure they have something else you might be interested in, in case taking a few classes changes your mind).
Personally, I applied to a lot of schools for a lot of different majors, and my major was determined by where I decided to attend. I applied to The College of New Jersey for teaching, the College of Saint Elizabeth & Lehigh for psychology, University of Maryland and Northeastern for architecture, just to name a few. As you can see, I had no long-term plan for anything besides just getting into and graduating college. Would I have succeeded at any of the majors? Yes. Would I have enjoyed the classes and projects? Yes. My proof? I have a bachelor's degree in a field I don't want to pursue at this point in my life.
Have I learned from my personal experience? Yes- the specific experience of not consciously choosing my major with my heart is the catalyst for everything leading up to this blog.
It only took me 10 years to finally be honest with myself and how I've passively let school happen to me. No joke, I almost didn't apply to TCNJ, where I ultimately ended up. My major going in? Undeclared Education. But at orientation they had us pick classes that were dependent on the grade level you wanted to teach. Even back then I had a hard time feeling great about my decision, but that was a symptom of me being unsure of becoming a teacher in the first place. I ended up just going with it because I didn't think I had any other realistic options,
But my point is at some point the decision you let happen to you will catch up at some point in your life, and you will beat yourself up over wasted effort. Might be a love tap, might be powerful enough to knock your socks off, but you will ruminate on this time of your life if you are unsure or if someone else is influencing your decisions.
Anyway, here are some tidbits of advice to those that dubs themselves in a similar position:
*Give yourself some time to reflect on what you're good at, what you are passionate about, and the type of work environment you'd thrive in, and go from there.
*Use lots of career books from the library that help narrow down paths you may want to look into further or books that showcase what people do for a living.
*If you're interested in a specific topic or job, read a variety of books on the subject or the career itself for ideas. (The Institute for Career Research puts out books on specific career fields-- I highly recommend reading these-- and kids' books and magazines typically discuss very uncommon jobs)
*Intern, volunteer, or take a part time job to get a taste of the field you're considering. That way, you can talk with people who have jobs similar to the one you're pursuing to discuss what they like and don't like about the job and what schooling and training they did. You'll also make contacts, gain references, and have experience for your resume if you pursue the career path further. (If not, you'll still have a well-rounded life experience and skills that should transfer to other occupations.)
Finally, please PLEASE PLEASE don't just attend college for the sake of attending college. Have a clear goal in mind, and take the time you need to figure out that goal if needed.
Feel free to comment below with your own story, tips, or questions!
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