If you're like me, then you waited as long as possible before declaring your major in college.
I think it's rare for incoming freshman to have a concrete idea of what they want to study at the undergraduate level and it's even rarer to find an 18-year-old student who has an exact idea of what they want to do with their lives after graduation.
We are taught time and time again that the selection of your college major is a big deal and will help charter the course of your life. There is some validity to this, but by no means does what you studied in your undergraduate institution have to be related to your career.
Sure -- careers centered on engineering, computer science, and generally most of the sciences, do require a certain foundation of skills that only having an academic background in such can offer you.
That being said -- what about all the other jobs and majors out there?
How important is your major in the long run?
-Nearly all jobs are going to require you to have a bachelor's degree (minimum) so by achieving that benchmark, you're already doing something good!
-Your degree is not a representation of your work ethic and your skills. You are! The real world doesn't so much care that you have a bachelor's of history, it cares more if you are are talented and good at the job in question.
-You determine your success just as much as a degree does.
-Connections matter. No one will care if you graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA if you never got involved while attending college. If you garner a solid network of contacts while studying, you are instantly increasing your chances of landing a career that you desire.
-Do something you enjoy! If you are passionate about a certain field or career and really enjoy learning about it, or doing it. That is a major advancing factor. You will be more likely to excel in classes that you enjoy and that you are goof at than ones you aren't.
- Law school accepts all majors and degrees. If you have the scores and the potential, then it should't matter if you have a bachelor's in English or public policy.
So cheer up, all you confused and anxious college students across the land. There is hope. Hope that the major you choose to study won't determine the course of your life. You will. Select a major or a topic you enjoy learning about.
Take as many classes as possible in many different subjects while at college to get a grasp on what it is you like to learn about.
You determine your success and your future -- not a piece of paper.
