For those of you who have read my Odyssey articles concerning my choice of major and career, you know that I decided to major in subjects including Biology and Chemistry until the fall of my sophomore year of college when I decided to switch my major to English. I experienced several issues that led me to make the decision to major in English, and thought it would be a good idea to create an article to help students determine whether or not their current major is the one for them by sharing these issues.
1. You despise going to classes/completing assignments specifically for your major.
I definitely felt this on a daily basis as a Biology/Chemistry major. I never really looked forward to going to class, and didn't enjoy completing required assignments as much as I do now as an English major. If this sounds like you, then it might be a good idea to reconsider your major. In my opinion, you should look forward to going to every class/completing all of the assignments associated with your major. Sure, you might struggle once in awhile, but you definitely shouldn't despise your major or anything associated with it.
2. People assume you're an expert in your field of study when you're actually not.
In my opinion, you should be an expert in whatever field of study you are majoring in. In other words, if someone asks you a question related to your major, you should be able to answer it pretty easily and accurately. During a Biology related discussion sometime last year, I remember someone telling me, "You're a Biology major. You should know what I'm talking about," while truthfully I wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about at all.
3. Your grades show it.
You constantly perform poorly on your exams, quizzes, and your midterm grades aren't exactly satisfactory. Sound familiar? Then it might be a good idea to reconsider your major. I definitely experienced these issues before switching majors, and strongly suggest that you reconsider your major if you're experiencing similar ones.
4. You're only majoring in it because of the opinions of others.
If you are only choosing to major in a particular subject because of the opinions of others, then please remember that this is your life, not theirs. If you want to major in a certain subject, then do it. Don't let the opinions of others steer you away from doing something that you love and are sincerely passionate about. I've definitely had people criticize my choice of major, but what they're probably neglecting to consider is the fact that I plan to become a lawyer, and that English is something that I am far more skilled at and passionate about than any other subject.
5. You have other options in mind for what you could be majoring in.
If you have other options in mind for what you could be majoring in, then it might be a good idea to talk with your adviser about what you should do next. If you are more passionate about a subject that is different from the one you are currently majoring in, then you might want to think about double majoring. When I was a Biology/Chemistry major, I would definitely think about majoring in English instead. If you are experiencing a similar situation, then I suggest you consider other options as far as your major goes.
6. It just doesn't feel right.
Do you ever feel like you were destined to major in something else other than what you are majoring in now? If so, then you might want to consider switching your major. I sincerely feel that majoring in English was what I was meant to do, and hope you feel the same way about your major. If not, then I strongly recommend that you change your major to something that best suits you as an individual.
