I remember the summer before my freshman year of college. I had received my letter of acceptance from Wright State and been accepted into the College of Liberal Arts. I was so excited to be starting a new period in my life with new experiences. But also because I would be chasing my dream, becoming an editor. I was always good at reading and writing. I felt that a degree in English with a Creative Writing focus was my perfect fit. And then last semester, I changed my major, to Earth Sciences.

After taking creative writing classes that didn’t live up to my expectations, and seeing the not so bright prospects of having an English degree, I could say that I was thoroughly disenchanted with my dream of being an editor by the end of my sophomore year. I had realized that my dream job, wasn’t my dream job after all. I had built up unrealistic expectations and college crushed them. Now this might seem awful, but in reality this was what I needed. To truly see what it would be like. It would have been a thousand times worse to have earned my degree and then have my dreams crushed in the work force. I would have had to re-do my schooling over again had I decided to abandon the degree I’d already earned. This is also in my opinion the purpose of college. To expose you to new things.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate writing or reading anymore. Quite the opposite really. I simply realized it was more of a hobby and not something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I saw that sitting at a desk every day, helping writers polish their ideas into novels or articles, would not have left me fulfilled. I wanted to be out in the world. I wanted to explore, to discover. I initially thought that I could get this from reading novels and books. Turns out I was wrong. And in the midst of my doubts, I found my new dream job, a paleontologist.

Understand that this change wasn’t as sudden as it seems. I had been doubting English as my major for almost a year, until I changed to Earth Sciences. At one point I thought of changing my major to Acting. (I threw that one out REAL quick.) I took classes that sounded interesting, or were about a subject I already held an interest in. And that’s how I found my new major. It only took one class, and maybe a bit of pushing from a friend, but I changed.

I have friends who are currently debating changing their major, and I know people who have changed their major three times. And I’m here to tell you that if you’re going through the same thing, that it’s okay. There can be drawbacks to changing your major like having to take core courses that you didn’t previously need, and possibly another semester or two of school. But I want to reiterate that it is much better to change now while you’re currently in school rather than after you finish.

If you’re struggling to find a major, or are being pressured from peers or even parents to simply choose a major, I want to tell you that you are your own person. We can’t always see what is best for us at first glance, or at all. Some will try to tell you that they know what is best for you. But I think that these people may underestimate your judgement or simply don’t know you very well. The main thing about finding your dream or drive is doing it yourself.

When it comes to what you’re going to be doing for what you assume to be the rest of your life after college, don’t let someone else choose for you. This can take time too. You may not decide on a major until after three years of college. Or maybe you’re like me, and you’ve started off with an idea of what you wanted to do and it’s turning out to be not at all what you wanted. I think we sometimes as humans perceive change as a negative thing, when usually it ends up being the exact opposite.

So to the undecided students, and to those questioning their major I want to say, don’t worry. Go and explore the world. Take advantage of opportunities given to you, and keep an open mind. Take classes that sound interesting or fun. But most of all, be patient. It may take longer than what you would like, but you will find your calling. Be patient with yourself and your wants. Over time your wants may change, and know that this is okay too.

Changing or even choosing a major can seem daunting and scary, but know that it is not set in stone.