Oh, the holidays! A magical time to indulge in dad’s delicious stuffing, store-bought apple pie I convince myself is also homemade and a time for catching up with family members (who will inevitably ask a hundred questions about life as a college student). The fan favorite: What are you majoring in again?
Through my fake smile and clenched teeth, I calmly reply for the thousandth time, “retailing and consumer sciences," waiting for the usual reply, “so what do you plan on doing with that?"
Great question. If only I had a perfectly scripted answer to end all the questions that will follow. I had not a clue, and the continued pressure I felt from my family and friends to answer did not reduce the personal anxiety I faced regarding the issue. What did I want to do?
For many incoming college freshmen, deciding on a major can be the scariest choice you’ll ever make. Like many, I declared a pre-business major believing I would be the next CEO of a major company, an extraordinary financial analyst or an accountant. SIKE. I couldn’t picture myself doing anything of the sort.
After a lovely freshmen year surrounded by the future business professionals of America, I switched to retailing and consumer sciences, in hopes of finding a place I felt like I belonged. My love for fashion, trends and consumer behavior sparked my interest in this major and motivated me to push through the difficult pre-major courses. Once accepted to the major, my uncertainties returned and I questioned a future in this field. After researching potential other options like e-society, journalism and communications, an academic advisor informed me another switch would cost me a fifth year in college, so I decided my best option was to stay put and no longer let my major define me.
One of my professors said, “Success cannot be taught."
At the time, I did not understand. Wasn’t I going to school every day to learn how to be successful in my career? After careful thought and a few long nights in the library contemplating what the heck I was doing with my life, it hit me. Success cannot be lectured or tested on an exam. Success comes from hard work, experiences, networking and personal professional development. I’m not saying classes and grades are not important, but these are the things that matter most - not the major written on your diploma. Do what makes you happy because in the end, it will bring you all the success in the world.
