Entering college is an exciting time, but it can also be a tough transition. You are in an unfamiliar place surrounded by many new people. College is the next chapter and a class schedule lies ahead. This new schedule is full of gen-ed classes to begin with, but with time you may have to choose a major.
Choosing a college major can be a challenging experience as you are choosing what you want to do for the next four years. This was a decision that I struggled with, especially at the start of college.
Coming to UNK, I was set on being a therapist and wanted to study psychology. I thought that this area was interesting and would be something I would enjoy. I began my freshman year in psychology classes with high hopes for my future as a therapist. I soon realized taking asynchronous classes during COVID would prove to be a challenge. I was feeling very stuck.
I knew I wanted a career where I would make an impact on people. After feeling unsure about what major to choose, I talked with the people who knew me best: my parents. My mother said that she always thought I would make a great teacher, and that became my next major.
The world of education would become my life for the next three years. I was working at a local daycare, creating lesson plans and learning so much. I made friends with other education students and was feeling excited to be surrounded by future educators. At my place of employment, I was also surrounded by so many fantastic educators, and I wanted to be like them.
It seemed like I had finally found my calling, but something still felt off. I was completing my junior year when I began experiencing feelings of doubt. I was not happy with what I was doing but thought it was too late to change my major. I had already put in three years of hard work and didn’t want it all to go to waste.
I thought choosing a major at the beginning of my college career would be a challenge, but after three years I found myself faced with the same struggle. I didn’t know what to do and what major would be right for me. As a junior in college, I thought I was supposed to have everything figured out.
I knew my interests and wanted to choose a career path that resonated with these interests. I had interests in advertising and public relations, and I had experience in that area. I wanted to learn more and pursue a career in something I was happy doing. Even though I was a junior, I changed my major one last time to advertising and public relations.
Since changing my major I have undergone numerous changes. These changes were scary at first as I didn’t know what to expect. I was a senior taking design classes, news writing and learning to use Adobe products. These classes were foreign to me and much different than my education classes. The difference had me feeling a little lost and clueless as I didn’t feel like I knew what was doing. In these new classes, I would have to put in a lot of hard work. I was learning many new things, and that’s what made the hard work worth it. While it was intimidating, I’m glad I made the change, and look forward to what’s to come.
As a junior, you may be hesitant to make this big of a change, or maybe you are feeling the same way I felt. Changing your major later in college is a big decision, but one that you should not feel scared of. If you are having feelings of doubt about what you are doing, you can change that. You have the power to overcome that fear of change and find a major that is truly right for you.
