College is the first step to the rest of your life. It is a time of figuring out what life has in store for you. There are people out here who have it all planned out and know exactly what they want to do. Of course that is not a bad thing, it is actually quite wonderful. If you are one of those people, then props to you and I wish you the best of luck with your studies and career.
When I entered college I knew I did not have everything figured out, but time would show me where to go. It would not happen right away, but soon enough I would know what I would want to do. I am now going into my second semester of freshman year and let me say something, I have never had so much anxiety. What people don't realize is that college students do not have as much time to figure things out as they think. You think you have four years, but in all reality, unless you want/can afford to be in college for more than four years, you don't have that much time. For the last month that has been my winter break I have spent most of my time thinking about my major. What do you do if you want to completely switch gears? It is one thing to switch within the same field, but what about different spectrums? Take English and nursing. No classes overlap. If you decide to switch you are starting back at zero and risking tacking on another semester or more of
college. Sadly, not all of us can afford more than four years of schooling.
There is only one word that describes the world of the unknown: terrifying. People always talk about how college is the time to figure things out. We start picking career options at 18 or 19, which quite frankly is not that old. This is for the rest of our lives. The world can not expect for every student to have smooth sailing. There is a sad truth that comes with those people who stand undecided. We fear judgment and disappointment. We deal with the stress of needing to figure it all out at that very moment, the stress that sometimes, there is no trial and error. For most of us, we want to physically try out the certain careers we are considering, because that is how we know for sure what works, and what doesn’t. Unfortunately, that is not always an option.
The hardest part for me is that I don’t want to be wrong. I do not want to have spent the time switching and contemplating, only to have made the wrong decision. I personally am currently debating between three totally different majors, and I have never been so petrified. Like everyone, I want to love my job. I am stuck though, and want nothing more than to figure everything out.
So to all you students sitting out there in the same position I am: we can do this. It won’t be a walk in the park, but I believe in each and every one of you. Being undecided is not easy. You will be stressed. It will take time. It will, however, all be worth it.
