As a senior in college, I truly believe the most daunting part of my academic career this far was declaring a major. After applying to and selecting a college to attend, I thought I was finally relieved from all the stress until family asked what I would be studying. Then it hit me; I had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Orientation quickly approached and I felt a pressure to know what I wanted to major in. Not giving it much thought other than I had to make a class schedule that day, I chose to major in Mathematics and quickly realized my mistake.

Just a few weeks into the semester I knew math wasn’t the right fit for me, and I began exploring other options. The thought seemed to haunt me every where I went, whether I was at the gym, sitting in class, or home for breaks where I dreaded unavoidable school questions. After a great amount of research and constant deliberations with myself, I finally decided I would declare an English major. I did not, and still don’t, have an exact career path that I want to pursue, but I am sure that I am in the right field and I couldn’t be happier.

There is so much pressure on college students to plan our futures and do well on our academic journey, but in reality that road is often not followed. After applying to graduate schools and already having received an acceptance letter, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to further my studies in English Literature. More importantly, though, I am enjoying my classes, partaking in discussions, and becoming passionate about a particular area of interest in my field. I have narrowed down my professional aspirations to two careers in the english field, but I am still not entirely sure.

I find it is important not to pressure myself into making major decisions simply because others are or I feel like I have to. College does play a major role in our lives, but it is important to embrace the journey to get to where you realize you should be. Take classes that interest you, explore different fields of study, and get a feel for what you truly are passionate about. Yes, time is of the essence, but you’ll know you’re in the right place when you don’t mind going to class, participating in scholarly discussions, and conducting research outside of classwork simply because you are curious about something. In the end, our college careers may not be perfect, but we will eventually end up right where we didn’t know we wanted to be.