One of the hardest things about college: Trying to deciding what to major in.

I am a big believer in majoring in what you're passionate about... but isn't it also about your future, too? You might love your job, but do you want to live the financial life of a college student forever? I always thought of majoring in something you love that might also help put a meal on your table. An unpopular opinion, sure, but I do think that finances, to a degree, plays a role in your happiness.

For me, this process was talked out thoroughly with my parents, specifically my dad. My dad, like me, loves to learn. Of all of the characteristics he instilled in me, I would say that the most crucial one - and my favorite - is to stay curious about the world around me, to ask thoughtful questions, and to persist upon figuring it out.

When it came down to deciding, I relied on my parents to put forth their words of wisdom, having been there before. At the time, I was pre-med, so my dad advised me to major in both a passion and something that I found interesting... and something I could get a job in if medical school didn't pan out.

Now, I am no longer pre-med, but my major is still the same: medical sciences (this is another story within itself). I have another plan in mind: graduate school. A doctoral degree in some sort of biomedical sciences (T.B.D.) research.

However, I am 'minoring' in professional writing. Writing has always been a passion of mine, a hobby, if you will. I decided to turn my hobby into something useful, and it will be a great counterpart for my major (you must communicate your findings, of course).

One of my hobbies is witchcraft and learning about the sorcery. There's a class here at UC called 'Women in Witchcraft'. However, college is expensive. This is more of my hobby: something I will learn about in my spare time.

I, personally, could not turn this into a career. This doesn't mean you can't; I just wouldn't. I love to use coursera.org, which has FREE info on other things I love to learn. This way, my hobbies don't fall to the wayside and my wallet doesn't suffer as I continue through college. I get the best of both worlds, and you can, too.