Picking your major is the most critical decision of your college experience. A lot of people going into their freshman year are unsure of what they want to do. I think that's great. It's important to know all your options, and going in undecided gives you the chance to experience classes that point you in a particular direction. It's not easy to decide what major you want to pursue, because it's something that determines the rest of your life.
You should take the decision process very seriously.
You don't want to end up like me. I chose to enter freshman year as a Biology major. I had decided I wanted to be an orthodontist in the future because of the salary, so I started as a full-time biology major. When sophomore year came around, I had a complete meltdown. I didn't love what I was doing an I didn't have a clue what I could be doing instead because I had never looked at all my options. I did a lot of soul searching, and I ended up switching to Communication during the second semester of my sophomore year. I had to take summer classes and overload on hours to catch up in time to graduate as planned. It was a nightmare.
Don't pick a major because it sounds safe.
Pick something that really interests you, because you'll most likely be dealing with it for your entire life. Think about the things you enjoy doing and your strengths. What can you do well, and how can you use that in a future career? It's important to pay attention to yourself and your capabilities when it comes to picking a major. But don't rule out anything just because you don't think you can do it. I chose Communication because it was the one area of my life I needed to work on and because I was really interested in it. I also picked Event Management as my minor because I love bringing people together. I challenged myself and stayed true to my personality strengths.
That is the best way to pick a major.
Understanding how you work in certain situations and the type of personality you have is the first step to picking the right major. You want to pick something that compliments who you are and encourages you to work hard. You should have a lot of opportunity for personal growth in the right major.
You should also be interested in the subjects dealing with that major. If you don't love learning about that field, it probably isn't the right place for you. I was good at math and science, so I chose biology. But what was missing was my desire to further my knowledge in science or math. I hated my classes and my major.
Communication, on the other hand, consumes my life. I study it in my free time and really enjoy learning more about how to effectively communicate. That's how I know I'm finally in the right place.
Picking the right major will be difficult, but if you stay true to who you are and pay attention to your interests, you'll end up in the right place. Pick something that inspires you to grow and follow your passions. If you can do that, I guarantee you'll love your major as much as I love mine.
