Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Dude, what's your major?

Are you struggling with figuring out what you want to study in college? Have you taken a few classes that interest you but still find yourself lost and confused about what's the right major for you? At some point, almost everyone has experienced this struggle. So don't freak out, you're not alone.

Let's say in high school, you were inspired by Environmental Science classes that touched on environmental issues and how to become more sustainable. This probably made you feel interested in going to college to study that topic and find a career in promoting environmental awareness. Then you finally get to college and start taking intro level environmental studies classes and it turns out to be a lot harder than you thought. There's Biology involved, Chemistry and even some theory that you're not all that interested in using your brain to fully understand.

What do you do? Ask yourself these simple questions:

1. Are you enjoying the classes/work you have to complete in this major?
If the answer is no, it's a good idea to rethink your class schedule and find classes that are a lot more interesting, even if they are just the simple intro level courses.

2. Have you found any jobs that relate to the major that you see yourself doing in the future?
If you look up a few job ideas and can't imagine yourself working in that industry or in that field, start searching for other jobs you might be intrigued by and seeing what majors are required to get those jobs.

3. Are you getting grades you think you should be getting in your major classes?
If you're not getting the grades you want to receive in classes that your major requires, that's not a good thing. Not only should you be enjoying your classes but you should be understanding what you're covering in the course and how to apply it in real life. A course shouldn't be "easy" but definitely shouldn't be difficult for you either. If you do well in your major classes, hopefully it's because you love what you're learning!

4. Have you talked to anyone in the Career Center?
Every school must have some sort of career center or office for students to go to when they feel lost. This is a very helpful step in the process of figuring out what you want to major in and what sort of jobs that major will help you find in the future.

After figuring out the answers to these questions, you should be on your way to deciding what's best for you during your four years of school. It's never too late to find what you love! You just have to chin up and do your best to stay focused and motivated throughout the journey of finding what you're passionate about.

2 comments:

  1. Although I'd say the topic for this particular post falls into a commonly shared category (e.g. "5 steps to living a _________"), there is useful information here. Your content has prominence because you've related it to SRU specifically. Plus, I like the memes - added bonus!

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  2. So helpful. As someone who has changed their major three times these tips really resonate. Especially the interest factor. Do something you love.
    Something important thing to keep in mind though is that your major doesn't limit you to one thing. Many majors will allow you to work in a variety of fields. And sometimes, your end up in a career completely different than what you studied.

    All that really matters is that you graduate with a degree. The rest is up to you.

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