Everyone seems to know me as the person in the friend group who always insists on recycling that bottle to keep it out of a landfill or turning the lights off to save energy.

I love the idea of living a green life and I definitely plan on doing the basics now, like turning the lights off, recycling, and not wasting paper when I don't have to. However, I think it will be easier to fully exercise environmentalism when I am in the "real world" and no longer have to balance school while on such a low budget.

Environmentalism is simply doing your duty to care of the planet and leaving as little a carbon footprint as you can, while also educating those around you as to why you are doing what you're doing. I want to be able to call myself an environmentalist because I believe taking care of the earth is extremely important and is our obligation since we live here. This was a huge reason I chose to major in environmental studies.

However, throughout freshman year, I would repeatedly question my major and never knew how to answer when people asked me what I wanted to do with my major. I think working with National Geographic, for example, would be amazing but I have no idea what I would do with the major for that company.

I knew one thing for sure: I was not completely happy or satisfied with the classes I was taking or the major I was in. So, I found a list of every single major and minor at USC and whittled it down to a few choices. Right now, I am leaning towards a major in either public policy or urban studies and planning under the Price School of Public Policy and a double minor in occupational science and environmental studies.

I am interested in the public policy school because I want to make an impact in our society and I feel that, with either major I am most interested in, I would be able to see my work making a change. This is also the case with occupational science; even if I am only helping a few people, I will be changing their lives for the better.

With environmental studies, the vagueness of the major and the hopelessness of being able to inspire people to become more environmentally-friendly frustrated me immensely. However, I am choosing to step down to the minor because I am still passionate about saving the environment, without a doubt. I just feel that living the green life is something I would rather do myself than go about telling other people to do.

So, next semester the plan is that I will officially be a declared major in the Price School and have a double minor. I will have to stay at USC for one additional semester, but I am content with this decision (other than the financial implications) because it feels right.

I don't know exactly what I want to do for a living but my new major and minor choice feels much more feasible and workable and I can still envision myself doing something great. I'm excited to see what the future holds for me.