We all know how difficult it is to choose a major. We walk out of high school expected to have some concept of what we want to do, meanwhile all we've done through high school is learn about the same five topics with some snack breaks in between. There are some of us who know exactly what we want to do as soon as we step foot onto our college campus, while others take a few tries to figure out exactly which one fits. And then there are those who wait...they take guitar classes and gen eds for their first four semesters, and suddenly it's their turn to choose.

The importance of majors, minors and concentrations can definitely be argued, but so far I can confidently say that they have helped me immensely my first few semesters at the College of Charleston.

One of the most important things about your major is that you LOVE it. Too many people walk into a major with the belief that they'll like it more when they're "in the field" or when they get their first internship or job, but here's a very harsh reality: if you go through more than one or two courses and STILL aren't thrilled to step into that classroom every day, it's going to be a tough college career. You also need to account for how much you like your professors; if you're not interested in everything that they have to offer regarding your major, get out now! The names that you see your first few semesters are going to follow you through your major; they might even become your advisors! It should be a huge red flag if you go through two or three full courses and aren't excited at least one day a week to be in class.

Another important thing about a major is the specific classes that it entails. I've had too many friends tell me it's "too late" to change their major, and now they're dreading classes even more because they're cumulative; what you learn in one class WILL be used in the next! So before you declare your major or while you're deciding what school to go to, take some time to look at what classes you'll be required to take and what classes you have a choice between. Try to be sure that the majority of classes you'll be taking are exciting for you personally!

One of my favorite things about being an Arts Management in the Music Industry major is that I am constantly seeing my studies in practice. I've gotten tours of several venues on and around Charleston, I've volunteered at the Music Hall, and every single event that I go to teaches me something new. If you don't walk into every experience wide eyed and open minded, your major likely isn't for you. The world is changing rapidly, and you should be in a major that encourages you to think outside of the box and genuinely want to improve the world through the scope of your major.

When I'm uncertain about my major or what I want to do in life, I do a few things to refresh my outlook.

My go-to major test is to watch a documentary or TED Talk by an influential person in that related field. By the time I'm finished, I'm usually brought to tears by how excited I am to keep going. Maybe your response won't be as dramatic as mine, but hopefully you'll at least feel inspired and remind yourself how much you love what you're studying.

A major is an investment, no matter what anybody says. Take it from a double major in Arts Management and Studio Art: it's going to be a lot of work, and there are going to be days where you feel like you're going to pull out all of your hair. But remember, it's those moments where your heart fills up and you get caught up in a daydream about your future that will stand the test of time, not the tedious classwork and mangled grades.