I'm positive every college student in the world has either changed their major or knows someone who has. Changing majors can be an exciting yet stressful time. People who have experienced this tend to be excited about their new major; however, there are various negative aspects to this as well. These may include the mindset of feeling like a failure, the financial strain of having to stay in college longer, and much more. Fear not, fellow college kids. Changing majors is a good thing even if it's not necessary sometimes. A study done for Career Services at the University of La Verne shows that 50 to 70 percent of students across the country change their majors at least once. Most will change it at least three times before they graduate.
Some college kids go into college determined to study the same field their parents work in. There is nothing wrong with this. However, it is important to do what is most beneficial to you and what you have a passion for. Not everyone finds that passion early in life. That is why exploring different majors may help with this. I hear from many college students who are majoring in a field they never would have imagined going into. Turns out, they absolutely love it. Life can be surprising, and most of the time we have to be adventurous to discover those "light bulb" moments when we have a life-changing epiphany about our enthusiasm for a certain field of study.
It is not uncommon that some students begin with one major, switch to another, and then switch to another multiple times. I even know students who have ultimately chosen the major they started with after changing it several times. Although we may not want to work in a certain field of study, being knowledgeable of other academic disciplines is beneficial. Even if you don't change your major, take some classes in various departments and maybe you will find what you are interested in. General studies play a huge role in this.
Due to financial strain and other issues, some people are miserable with a certain major but decide to endure it anyways. Most of the time, this leads to someone being employed in a field they absolutely hate and dreading going to work every day. It is important to study in something that sparks your interest so that your career is intrinsically fulfilling and not simply extrinsically fulfilling with factors such as money or approval from others.
When I came into college over two years ago, I was dead-set on computer science. I swore up and down I wouldn't change my major. I tried to force myself to enjoy some aspect of it. Yes, computers are interesting. There are many computer science majors who are enthralled by the science, but it wasn't for me. So I decided to do something on the opposite end of the spectrum. I am now in the start of my junior year as a nursing major. After taking a couple A&P classes and labs and other classes pertaining to the medical field, I fell in love with what I was learning.
As I go into my upperclassman years, I can say that I have definitely realized what I want to spend my life doing, and it all started with changing my major. I want to encourage anyone out there who has the slightest bit of curiousness about other majors to explore your options and find what best fits you. You aren't going to figure it all out overnight. It will happen with not only time, but also life experiences. Steve Jobs, known for his success with Apple Inc., once said, "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."
Get out there and try different things. Find your passion. Find your spark. Live life doing what you love. To anyone reading this who doesn't enjoy their major, don't be afraid to change it. When the day comes you realize you have found the major truly meant for you, you will be glad you did.
