The reality of college, its expectations, and its actualities are now engrained is us by the end of our freshman year. Classes have become more predictable, the sheen of living on campus has somewhat worn off but you know you’ll still go through a small grieving period after moving out, your friend group has pretty much been set in stone, and, in other words, you’ve created yourself a comfort zone in this still fairly new environment of secondary education. But out of the many details in your new life that’s still nagging you is the necessity of choosing your major, and if you’re anything like me or thousands of your current peers you may have the slightest idea of where to start or you’re pretty much starting from scratch. So since high school didn’t prepare you for this or much else in the “real world” and your friends are just as much at a loss as you are, here are some tips to help you navigate yourself to the all-important event of choosing your major.
Just Starting?
So you've come to the conclusion that if you're to graduate on time, you probably need to pick a major and start taking classes towards your degree. If you're not sure where to start, you probably need to start racking your brain and figure what exactly you've come to college to do. When starting off, you should probably figure out whether you want a degree that will benefit you most financially and secure you a job sooner than later after graduation or maybe it's more important to fulfill yourself creatively and find a major that coincides with your interests. When it comes to either, beginning with your own research will benefit you enormously.
More interested in financial security: Start off by looking up which majors and jobs are highest in demand and look further into some that look interesting! Big Future by The College Board has a great encyclopedia of sorts when it comes to careers, so try looking through it or other websites and make sure it matches a major at your own school.
More interested in a personalized major: I find that it helps taking a personality and major matching quiz here and there that matches you up to a few majors. Don't take it as an instant solution to your concerns, but use it as a step towards finding yourself out. Also take account of what takes up most of your time in your life right now, what extracurriculars have interested you the most, and what your exactly your dream job would be if you could pick one. This seems like a lot of soul-searching, but it may steer you in the right direction.
Have An Idea?
Maybe you're down to a few choices and you can't pinpoint the exact "perfect" major for you. In my own experience, going to each department and asking them for more information about the major at your own college (although it requires some effort) really helps when you're getting down to deciding. They will usually give you some paperwork that tells you more about it and will inform you about which classes you are required to take before and after declaring. Don't take these for granted! When you have a few from the ones you're thinking about, compare them and really take some time to figure out which classes you'd be most interested in taking and the note of requirements.
Talk to a Guidance Counselor!
If you've gone through as much researching as you physically can for yourself, get a second opinion! There are actual people on your campus who are paid to help you make decisions exactly like this so don't be afraid to get a professional's point of view on the matter. They will probably steer you in a direction you never thought of, inform you of things you hadn't ever heard of, and most importantly will follow up with you in the future if you change your mind. Speaking of changing your mind, they can help you if you decide to change your major later. It's always an option and many students decide to take that route if necessary. Minors and double majoring is also something to take into consideration and counselors are there to inform you of what it takes to do it.
Now that you've compiled an arsenal of information and have second opinions about second opinions, it comes to your own decision. Take your time and whatever decision you end up making, it will no doubt be the best for you if you truly put thought into it and you feel fulfilled by choosing your path. You also have time to choose so don't stress yourself out by believing this will decide the rest of your life because most don't even end up having a profession that perfectly matches what it says on their diploma. You have choices, so good luck!
