I have always liked school. I am the definition of a jack-of-all-trades, so I enjoyed every subject. I always knew I would go to college. I did not, on the other hand, have any idea what I was going to major in. How was I supposed to decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life at 18? So I made a decision, a hard one: to go into college undeclared.
It absolutely terrified me. I am a planner, and this was the first time in my life I didn’t know my next move. I received various responses to this decision. Comments ranged from, “You're going to pay for out state tuition and you don’t even know what you’re going to do?” to statements such as, “I think you are making the best possible decision.”
So I spent my entire freshman year undeclared. Due to this, I also had a saved seat on the emotional express. Everyone around me seemed to have their lives figured out. They had life plans and binders that laid out every class they’d have to take for the next four years. I wanted a binder. I did not have a binder, so I suffered through two registrations, trying to pick classes that would give me some insight into what I should do for the rest of my life.
I was able to test out different courses, get involved on my campus and travel. In my freshman year, I discovered more about who I am and what I want out of college and out of life. I am now an English major and an aspiring writer. Because of my year undeclared, I can confidently say I made the right decision.
To all of you who come into college knowing exactly what you want, I commend you and I am jealous of your binders. Go forth in the direction of your dreams. But to all of you who are stressing and having panic attacks about what to do with the rest of your lives, I have some advice: it is okay. Not everyone has their life figured out at 18. In fact, most people do not have their life figured out at 18. So I encourage you to take this time to explore your options and spend time enjoying your exploration. Find what jazzes you up, and do more of that. Learn about everything you can, inside and outside of the classroom. Read great books, take a variety of classes, talk to interesting people, and travel if you can.
This is an incredible time to be unsure, so enjoy it. You will figure it out, so don’t be afraid of being undeclared.
