Upon entering college, I knew I wanted to be an English major, but came into college as undeclared. I was terrified to pursue my dreams for a plethora of reasons, and I'm sure anyone who is interested in an "impractical" major has some serious doubts. If you are currently in the situation of trying to figure out if you should pursue your dream major, here are some reasons you should strongly consider the major you're having doubts about.
1) Mediocrity
When I was 17, I wrote a poem about my fear of mediocrity, with a stanza that says:
My fear is a mediocre life,
With a mediocre career.
Always wishing for the day to end,
Average years and years.
Not the most brilliant poem I've ever written, but I still feel this way about my life. Sure, I could be a business or engineering major, and there's nothing wrong with those majors at all. But the fact of the matter is, I would be truly miserable with a major like that, and even though I'd be making a good sum of money, my happiness is far more important than having a big house and a beautiful car. My deepest fear is to have a 9-5 job that I absolutely despise, praying for the day I can retire. I just want to have a job that I'm excited to wake up for, even if that means money is a little tighter.
2) Fulfillment
I'm a creative person, and if I couldn't be creative in my everyday life, I would be truly unfulfilled. I can't wait to have a job that I know would give me a sense of worth and accomplishment, instead of going through the motions and wondering if what I'm doing really matters. Plus, if you are pursuing a career in something you're truly passionate about, potential employers will see that and in turn, may make it easier for you to get a job and move up in a company.
3) Regret
In the beginning of my freshman year, I was considering becoming a dual major in both Psychology and Criminal Justice. I thought this would set me on a clearer career path, but right when I picked up the paperwork to fill out my new chosen majors, in the pit of my stomach I knew what I was doing was wrong. If I went through with this major choice, that regret in my gut would never go away, not until the day I died. I know that sounds dramatic and cliché, but I've seen my family and others close to me do jobs for practical reasons, and be truly miserable with their life. These people didn't have a choice since they were uneducated. But, I am getting an education and can choose literally anything I want. If I simply chose a major out of practicality, all of the efforts to get me to college would be in vain.
4) You can make your major practical!
I am picking up a management minor because my ultimate dream job is to be an editor-in-chief of some kind of publication. (That's why I'm editor-in-chief for the UMass Dartmouth Odyssey now!!) If you pick up a practical minor or double major, you can follow your dreams as well as have a better chance of getting a job when you graduate. You can also join clubs and organizations that will make you more marketable to companies once you graduate. Getting hired isn't just about your major, as much as people try to steer you away from the major you desire.
These are just a few reasons why you should pursue your dream major. If you still aren't convinced, I understand your skepticism completely. The thought of living from paycheck to paycheck is terrifying, especially when so much time and money is spent on college. But at least for me, the thought of being miserable for the rest of my life is far more terrifying than financial issues could ever be.
