When faced with college admission, one of the most important, if not the most important question you’re asked is “What is your major going to be?" A simple question, but one that carries a lot of weight and is pivotal to where your academic and professional life will lead.

Now when faced with that question, there are some who seem to know exactly what they want. You’ve probably heard the stories of people that you grew up with, people that you went to school with that went to Sea World when they were six years old and saw a Beluga whale dancing in the water and knew at that moment that they were going to be a marine biologist when they grew up. Then there are the other people. The people that look at a question like that and pause and in that pause remember every high school counselor, every teacher and every great-aunt visiting from Phoenix that have asked you that same question over the last few years. It’s a question that 20-50% of incoming students have had no answer to either.* It’s something that I had no answer to. Now before we scoff at the clear-eyed certainty of the Sea World kids, rest assured that there is also a 75% chance that they too will change their major at least once before donning the cap and gown.* If you are, like yours truly, one of the many that came into school undeclared—breathe. Now take another breath. There you go. You good? Alright. Now that we’ve established that you’re not alone and you’ve taken a few deep breaths, I have two pieces of simple advice.

1. Talk to a counselor at your school and make sure that you’re taking correct gen-ed courses. Sounds like a no-brainer, and it is, but this will afford you a foundation that you can pivot upon depending on what major you choose to declare later on. If you have a general idea as to the things you like or are good at (am I more of an art person or a science person?) because they can start to help gently steer you toward those areas.

2. Explore. You’ve always been curious about geology? Take a course! Killing on those Instagram filters? Maybe take a photography class! It may sound cheesy, but try new things if you’re curious because you may enjoy and thrive in it more than you thought. I found out in my first two years in college that I’m fascinated with politics and acting! Who knew? Not me until I put myself out there a bit and tried something I wasn’t 100 percent sure about.

Bottom line: If you’re going to college and you are unsure about your major, you’re not alone. Far, far from it. And even if you think you’re sure, hold on loosely. And please, take it from a kindred spirit things you think you may be interested in, it’s in the exploration of those curiosities that passions ignite.

*Gordon, V. N. (1995). The undecided college student: An academic and career advising challenge (2nd. ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.