There is a huge misconception that you need to know exactly what you want to do when you get to college. In reality, that is not at all the case. Plans change and so do people. But, all in all, it is okay not to know what you really want to do before you start college. Sometimes, you actually need to experience college first before you find out what you definitely want to do.
In high school, I wanted to be a lot of things. In ninth grade, I wanted to be a lawyer. In tenth grade, I wanted to be a diplomat. In eleventh grade, I wanted to be a psychiatrist, and in twelfth grade, I wanted to be a hospice nurse.
In my senior year of high school, I was fortunate enough to get into the Allied Health program. This program was created for students that were considering medical majors but weren't really sure what field of medicine they wanted to pursue. We went through many rotations in the hospital, and I loved the hospice rotation. So, I figured I should go to college for nursing right?
I then applied to ten colleges, specifically into their nursing and medicine based programs. I received acceptance letters from all ten colleges and was offered opportunities into some very great nursing programs. My next thought was, "I got into college and I got accepted into these programs, now I just have to choose one, and I am set for life".
Well, when August of my freshman year came around, that was no longer the case. My plans were chalked and I was confused again. I immediately doubted myself and my major selection when I started at Temple. I was always asking myself; "what if I complete all of these science-based courses only to find out that I want to be an English major later?"
But the truth is, It is okay not to know what you want to do when you get to college.
Thus I decided to switch my major to "undeclared" within the first few days of the fall semester and let me tell you, it was the best decision I have made so far in my college career.
Now, I feel that I can complete my general education requirements without having the strings attached to a major. I truly get to explore my interests and really find out what I want to pursue further in my higher education. Students who go in declared often switch at least once before they graduate college. So, I figured why waste all of that time and money if I have no idea if this is what I want to do?
I would much rather go in and be undecided for my freshman year than to have picked a random major just to find out I hate it in my junior year. Not to mention, I found out I was paying almost two thousand dollars less being an undecided major as opposed to being a medicine based major.
On the plus side, there are many benefits to going into college undecided. I can build my GPA for future major-specific programs, merit-based scholarships, and academically based organizations. Similarly, I eased into college my freshman year instead of being immediately overwhelmed with work. I feel that because I had a smooth transition into college, I am more prepared for when college gets more difficult.
I realized that picking a major before college is not what every student needs to do. I feel that freshman year if college should truly be about finding yourself and your true passions.
