Choosing what college to attend was one of the most important decisions I have had to make in my life so far. But there was one decision that seemed even more important—choosing a major.
I scrolled over and over through the endless lists of majors on every local college’s website. I read the descriptions of each one that caught my eye. I tried to imagine what classes I would have to take, what careers I could have.
After months of scrolling through poorly organized websites, touring college after college, soul-searching and getting advice from every authority figure in my life—I chose a major.
Mass Communication. How vague.
And I don’t hate it, but it’s not what I always dreamed of doing. I never thought I’d end up being a journalist. I didn’t think I’d be sitting in a class learning how to write scripts for TV news broadcasts.
As college students, our majors are not so much a course of study as they are a part of our identity. With every new introduction, the question is asked. What’s your name? Where are you from? What’s your major?
We picked majors that sounded cool or seemed promising, but when we started our classes we realized that we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into. How could we possibly choose just one thing to study for the next four years? Why did we have to decide what to do for the rest of our lives at 18?
When we were kids we wanted to be everything all at once. We wore tutus while we painted landscapes. We ran in circles imagining ourselves as Olympic athletes. We dreamed of one day being the world’s best veterinarian. We had big dreams, and lots of them.
As we grew up we were conditioned to become narrowly focused on the concept of careers. A lifetime commitment. Day in and day out. Nine to five. The same thing every day, forever.
Don’t get me wrong, careers are important. But the pressure placed on choosing a major in order to obtain a successful career after graduation is immense.
What many people, including myself, seem to forget is that having a degree in one subject will not close doors—it will only open them. Your major does not lock you into one job for the rest of your life.
I do not love my major, and I am often plagued by doubts that I did not choose correctly. But my classes are making me a better writer. I am learning about the world around me.
What I, and so many college students, have to remember is that the knowledge we gain over the next four years will only help us—no matter what we end up doing. These classes are allowing us to branch out and try new things, and that’s what college is really all about right?
It’s OK if you don’t love your major, not everyone knows exactly where the future will take them. Work hard, learn as much as you can, and in time, you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be.
