The Ups and Downs of Being a Double Major

Before starting university, I was in love with the idea of graduating with a double major. What an opportunity, I thought, to be able to do two degrees in four years. Why would anyone not graduate with a double major?

Although I still believe in all of these things, I would say that my relationship with my double majors is over its honeymoon phase. As I write this, there is exactly one week before I have to pick the classes for the second semester of my sophomore year, and I am freaking out. Possibly due to me changing one of my intended majors at the end of my freshman year, or simply due to the heavy amount of credits and pre-requisites that need to be completed for two majors, I think that enrollment day is much more stressful for double majors.

Doing a double major in four years takes a lot of organization and thinking ahead, and these things are especially hard for a teenager starting college. Something that is necessary for planning ahead, is knowing what you want. Even though this sounds simple in theory, it is hard to imagine that a seventeen or eighteen-year-old coming into college is completely sure in which direction they want to take their career. I thought I was sure, and planned ahead and organized myself, but after my first year, I completely changed my mind. Teenagers and young adults probably change their minds so much because their personalities and interests are still changing and evolving, compared to adult minds, which although still experience some change and development, this happens at a much more slower rate.

The transition from adolescence to adulthood that happens around the age in which most people start university makes this process all the more complicated. There is a crazy difference in the amount of advising I had during high school compared to how much advice I get in college, as high school students are treated more like children that need guidance as opposed to college students being treated as independent adults. Although I think this independence is something positive, there is no denying that it comes with an abrupt change that takes some getting used to and adaptation. But with a double major, there isn't much time to adapt.

In addition to this, part of the experience of studying in a liberal arts college or university is being able to explore various areas of interest to you. I have found that with a double major, I have little space in my schedule for other classes that aren't fulfilling general requirements for the core curriculum (most of which are also requirements for my majors) or aren't major requirements. Although I get to explore two different areas in great depth as majors, I can't help but feel like I am missing out by not taking many classes in other departments.

Even though I have just written 500 words on the downsides of double majoring, I still stand with my decision to graduate with a double major. I believe each one of my majors opens up different doors for my professional future and this way I won't have to decide so early on in what area I want to work in or to stop pursuing some of my interests in great depth.