As a high school senior you might think that you need to have your whole life planned out, at least what you want to go to college for. But in reality, for most students, their plan will change. It is completely normal to apply to college, get in, and start your first semester feeling confident in your major of choice.
However as that first semester starts to wind down, you soon realize that you no longer have the same interests as you did before you started college. It may be harder than you excepted, or perhaps it's just boring to you. You can decide to give it another shot and wait it out for another semester or maybe two. There is nothing wrong with hanging in there.
If you still feel the same way after giving your first choice of your major another chance, it could be time to think again about sticking with it. Either way, you are not alone in thinking about possibly changing your major. In fact, about 80 percent of students will change their major at least once, and on average a typical college student will change their major at least three times before they graduate.
Wow! I'm sure you didn't expect the percentage to be that high, did you? It surprised me too. I knew that many people decide to change it, but I was certainly not expecting it to be this common.
No one can make the decision to change your major besides you. You shouldn't let anyone persuade you otherwise. It is not the other person's life that is being created, it is yours. With that being said, take the initiative in your own life!
If you still aren't sure if you want to change your career path, here are 3 signs that the degree you are pursuing is not right for you:
1. You dread going to class.
Yes, some courses are not going to be fun, but is it really worth changing your major? Sometimes in order to get to the classes you enjoy, you have to take the ones that may not interest you all that much. Try studying with a friend, this will make the course work more enjoyable. Just hang in there, it may just be a little bumpy at first.
2. If the classes you are in are exceedingly hard.
This coincides with the statement above. Note that you may dread going to class, however, this is a little different. If you are struggling to keep your grades up, there are a few actions you need to make before changing your major. First, you have to be in contact with your professor and attend office hours.
Talking to your professor about struggling in their class may help you decide what the next steps should be for you. This also lets them know that you are trying and care about being successful. Next, you might want to check out tutoring, and then using all the other resources available to you.
Some schools have more resources than others, but do some research first, there may be something you' re missing. If you are still having a hard time after exhausting all other options, it is time to either work harder to achieve your goal or make the decision to change your major.
3. Finally, you look at the list of possible jobs you could get with your proposed major and realize that none of them intrigue you anymore.
This can be a tell-tale sign that you might want to reconsider picking a new major that will inspire you more.
With all this being said, you should not be ashamed nor scared to change your major. It is completely normal to not know what your path will look like in the future. College is the time to find your place among people, to find yourself, and what truly makes you happy. The choice is yours. And it is, without a doubt, your call to make the right decision for you.
