I am surrounded by people who are literally changing the world as we speak. My peers are getting co-ops and internships and moving forward in their career paths with post-graduation job offers. They all seem so confident in their choices. There are the lucky few that entered their freshman year with a plan and ended up being successful in the first major they picked. It’s a strange concept to me that some people my age feel so ready to take on the world.
College can be majorly intimidating for someone who doesn’t know what they are passionate about yet. Since my freshman year, I have changed my major three times, switched colleges within my university twice, and added two minors. This year, my junior year, is the first time I have gone more than a semester without changing something in my academic plan. It feels like I am finally starting to settle into where I am supposed to be. However, I am still completely unsure of where I am going post-graduation. For the first time in my college career, I am realizing that that is completely okay.
Too often we are pressured to figure out what we are doing with our lives and told that if we don’t have a plan we are doing something wrong. I experienced a lot of doubt in myself during my first couple years of college that I would ever be successful, because of the pressure that was placed upon me by advisors, professors, and even my peers. Of course it’s important to have some kind of plan lined up, but it’s completely okay to feel unsure about things.
Everything will work itself out in the end.
If you’re not feeling happy in your major, try a new one. It’s a scary jump to make, but I promise it’s worth it. Try not to regret the time spent in majors that you don’t follow through with, because at least you took time to narrow things down and figure out what you don’t want to do.
If you’re like me, nearing your last semesters and still unsure of your plans, don’t panic. Just because you’re graduating with a degree in one area doesn’t mean doors won’t open in the future that will lead you in other directions. Like they say, the world’s your oyster. Even the people who seem sure about where they’re going probably aren’t as confident as they appear on the outside. We’re all just figuring things out as we go, and that’s okay.
