What to Know When Picking Your Major

Congratulations, you’ve made it to college! This is a very exciting time in your life, where you will be coming to understand how to better be an autonomous adult. The decisions you make here will affect you for years to come. Your major is one of those decisions.

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You Can Change it Later

Don’t stress too much about it. A lot of people might worry that whatever they pick might have lasting consequences. In reality, you have some time to figure things out. You don’t even need to declare a major immediately. You can spend some time taking general classes, trying out some introductory courses, and doing research on various careers before making a decision. Even once you declare your major you can switch it to something else. You might be surprised just how common switching majors is among undergraduates: Since this is a time when people focus on discovering who they are and what they want, the majority end up making adjustments to their previous expectations and ambitions.

Think of the Career You Want

Learning in a classroom setting is one thing: Working in your field is something entirely different. As important as it is to have a wonderful university experience, you need to consider and prioritize the career that comes after it. Ask yourself about your passions. Are there things that you are passionate about? Is there a certain field that has always attracted you? If not, what energizes you? What do you find joy in within your day-to-day life? Understand what the careers you’re considering will require in terms of school, money, and effort. Your university counselors might be helpful. You also might be surprised at the flexibility afforded you – getting a law degree can lead to different career paths in law.

Balance Passion and Practicality

Everyone is different. Some people absolutely need to be working in a field that they love, or else they will be miserable. But that isn’t the case with everybody. Others might be just fine working in a field that they like, okay–after all, it offers them the free time and money to pursue their passions outside of work. You need to come to understand where you fall. Do the research necessary to know what you can expect from your career in terms of financial stability.

You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Don’t let yourself stress too much about your decision! Work opportunities are always shifting and changing. You never know what your degree might bring you. Just always make sure you have realistic expectations for your future field.
Check out this article on what to expect from being a freshman in college!

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