Changing your major isn’t as scary as you think

“So what do you want to do after you graduate?”

People have been asking me that a lot lately. Truth be told, as a senior, I still don’t have a clear idea of what I want to do. It’s possible I never will, and that’s okay — even some adults with careers are still uncertain about what they want to be doing. I may never be sure, but at the moment I know I’m at least on the path to a career — even if I don’t know exactly which one. How do I know this? Because I changed my major — four times to be exact.

I started out studying Journalism at Mizzou, and that fall I realized it wasn’t the career path I belonged on. After searching for new places to apply, and with a lot of outside pressure, I wound up discovering Purdue. After a tour on a gloomy, rainy day, I felt at home in West Lafayette. Even after arriving at Purdue, I was still very uncertain about my potential career path. After an unsuccessful application to athletic training, and an unfulfilling experience in Psychology, I was once again lost and scared.

Only recently did it dawn on me what I might want out of my future career. I had been learning and speaking Spanish for a long time — even with all the uncertainty about my major, it had remained my minor throughout college. I always felt great  joy and excitement in those classes and, coupled with a passion to learn as much as possible about the world, I realized it was a flawless fit.

I remember the exact moment it dawned on me as I was getting ready for classes one morning. As the realization sank in, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It was funny how long it took me to realize what I really wanted out of life. I set out to flip-flop my major and minor, going from a Psych major with a Spanish minor to a Spanish major with a Psych minor. Of all of the decisions I’ve made in college, I’ve never been more confident than I was with this one.

Needless to say, my college career has been rather murky over the past few years, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. If I hadn’t been immersed in other areas of study I was discontented with, I might never have realized my true academic passion. Before going into college, we get so much outside pressure from parents, high school teachers, advisors, friends and so on. We get pressured into declaring a certain major, picking a certain university and choosing a career path.

We have to keep in mind that it’s our major/college/career path, not our parents’, teachers’ or friends’. It’s our own, and it’s unique and special. If you’re uneasy about a major or career path, do some research. Explore all the possibilities out there, ask questions you need answers to and take advantage of resources on campus. If you’re unhappy or unsure you’re on the right path, it’s worth it to switch. It’s better to admit you need a change, catch up on classes and maybe stay an extra semester if the alternative is ending up with a career you can’t stand. We weren’t born simply to pay the bills and exist — an enjoyable major and career is out there, for all of us.