When I graduated high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Instead of going straight into college, I took some time off to work and get a clearer idea of what I wanted to learn and eventually make a career around. For many high school students, taking time off isn’t an option, so what do you do when you’re forced to declare a major? Well, you do it. But understand that you can always switch majors later.
Switching majors shouldn’t be so taboo.
There are so many factors that go into why someone chooses their particular major. Many times, courses for different majors overlap, and you might find that the major you originally chose is going to have you in school longer and make your scholastic journey more difficult. Switching to a major that offers much of the same coursework you’re interested in and allows you to finish school faster and with an easier course load is just fine.
You’re not flaky if you switch your major.
I remember going on the air of a radio show when I was 19 and talking about how I wanted to triple major in psychology, English, and African-American studies so I could coherently describe the plight of my people and discover ways to heal our psychological wounds. Years later, I’m reacting to this memory the same what you’re probably reacting to reading it: What was I thinking?!
The world is so open when you first enter college that it’s hard to zone in on precisely what you’d like to build your expertise around and what major will most allow you to do that. I thought I had to major in everything under the sun back then. But I didn’t even end up going to a traditional college or majoring in any of the three I mentioned on that radio show. Changing it up just means you’ve done enough exploration to figure out what path of study will most practically lead to your ideal career path.
Many people who study one thing in college end up doing something seemingly unrelated in their careers.
People who studied computer science have been become chefs and some who have studied music have become web developers. Even though you might very well end up in a career directly related to what you study in school, no matter what your career is, there are certain skills that every college student obtains just by finishing that stage of learning and graduating.
Organization, research skills, consistency, punctuality and time-management transcend any major you could possibly choose. Are you thinking about switching it up? Talk to one of your mentors about your decision and how to make the most of it. Don’t be scared and don’t be embarrassed. Forge ahead on the educational path that’s right for you.
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