During my freshman year of college, I came in as a declared Political Science and International Studies major with intentions of heading to law school after my undergraduate. I immersed myself in Political Science classes and tried to soak up as much information as possible. I joined the Mock Trial team to get a feel for the courtroom, and I set myself up on the Pre-Law track. After one semester of this, I became unsure. I started doubting whether or not I even really wanted to go to law school. I started thinking about if I really liked Political Science or if it was just something I figured I should study if I wanted to become a successful lawyer and be able to pay off my student loans.
Second semester came and I was a wreck. I felt trapped in my Political Science classes, and this was no one's fault but my own. I loved my professors; I found them to be some of the most passionate and intelligent people I had ever met, and I felt honored to be learning from them. They are part of the reason why leaving the Political Science department was so hard for me. I felt like I had real relationships with them and I didn't want to insult them. I found myself becoming less motivated to do my work and I've always loved doing work so this was unusual for me. It's not that I didn't like the material, I just wasn't passionate about it, and passion is important.
After finishing up a semester that I felt would never end, I had some time to do some serious reflecting over the summer. I asked myself the big, scary questions that I thought I already knew the answers to: What do you want? What do you like? What do you want to be remembered by? It was hard for me to figure out these answers, and maybe I still don't have the correct ones.
I knew that I wanted to be able to work in a hospital someday, possibly in an Oncology unit. I had been treated at various hospitals and I felt the need to give back. I also knew that I was scared of science because I had bad experiences with teachers in high school. But I figured out something: I can't let a bad high school experience impact the choices I make the rest of my life. I knew I liked science, and I loved psychology, so why not try something out in those disciplines?
Sometimes you have to take a calculated risk. That's what I did, and so far I have not regretted it one bit. I changed my major to Psychology and my minor to Biology in hopes of someday being a Physician's Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. I'm still scared I might not be smart enough, I still have my doubts, but I'm loving the classes that I'm taking and I feel so much more awakened than I did last semester.
I think it's important for people to know that it's not too late for you to change your mind. Don't go into college closed-minded, unwilling to explore the educational opportunities you have before you. You are paying for this incredible resource so take advantage of it. Figure out what you like and don't like. Don't tie yourself down.
It's OK to change your major, to be undeclared, or to be taking classes in something that interests you outside of your desired career path. When you think you know what you want, take a calculated risk and pursue it.
