A Letter to the Weary College Student: It's Never Too Late for a Change
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Letter to the Weary College Student: It's Never Too Late for a Change

I changed my major senior year, and it was the best decision I ever made.

7
A Letter to the Weary College Student: It's Never Too Late for a Change
doorwayarizona.com

I started my freshman year of college as so many people do; excited, energetic, enthusiastic about my future and passionate about my major. By the beginning of my sophomore year, these feelings had waned. I was exhausted, I tried hard to be engaged in my field, but a nagging feeling of being out of place kept getting stronger and stronger.

But I, being my stubborn self, decided to fight past these feelings. There were things I still really enjoyed about my field of study: I liked being outdoors in nature, studying wildlife and plants. I enjoyed studying ecology and the more “macro” ­biology classes. But when it came to things like chemistry, physics and microbiology, I was getting nowhere fast and with nothing to show for it. Worst of all, I felt no sense of gratification or success at the end of each semester.

I Inherited my stubbornness from my father, who, in turn, inherited it from his mother. On both sides of my father’s family, people by the age of 75 are held up by not by their own physical strength, but by their sheer resistance to change. This is the same level of stubbornness I gained, and it was this stubbornness that kept me in a major I knew was wrong for me.

In what was supposed to be my senior year, I had hit rock bottom. I had begun to hate school, I was depressed, and I felt as though my life had lost any sense of purpose I had held on to the past three years. In short, I was miserable. That was when I finally started to listen to the little voice in my head that had long been speaking to me. “This is not the path you are supposed to follow! I have something else for you! Your plans brought you here, now it's time for My plans to pull you out!” I came to recognize this voice as God. Looking back, so many things that happened were signs that I was meant to change my major, such as my study abroad falling through.

So, I began to listen. The first thing was that I needed to rest and recenter my life. The best way to do this? Move to Hawaii and teach preschool of course! In what was supposed to be the final semester of my senior year, I got on a plane to Oahu and spent the most amazing 4 months following a better call on my life than the one I had taken upon myself three years before. I returned home and found myself among some of the most amazing people ever in a major that was more than perfect for me.

My new field of study, Media Communications with a focus on film production, was the perfect fit.I felt myself actually progressing towards a goal. I felt successful and finally, my feelings of doubt subsided.

Each of us, in my own opinion, have a specific place in the universe. That is to say, there is a you­shaped hole in the world that you are meant to fill. I was trying to force myself into a hole in the universe that was not my shape. How do you fit a square peg into a round hole? The answer is that you must shave down the peg so that it will fit. That is exactly what I was doing. I was shaving bits of me away to try to make myself fit better where I thought I was supposed to go rather than pursue a major that would make me feel whole.

For those of you feeling doubtful about your major, don’t be afraid to listen to that voice. We seem to have shied away from the idea that we can change our minds. It is never too late to make a change.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

50523
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

122305
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments