Any college student or graduate can tell you that transitioning from high school to college is a big adjustment. One month you're asking permission from your teacher to leave the classroom and two months later, going to class is basically optional.
It has always seemed incredibly strange to me, not to mention thousands of other recent high school graduates, that we're expected to know exactly what we want to do with our lives once we've gotten that first college acceptance. I can't fathom being so sure of something so concrete after only being alive for 18 short years. So, to the people who are shocked or act like the world is going to end when I respond "I'm undeclared," after asking what I'm majoring in, here are a few reasons why:
1. I Haven't Experienced Life Yet: Don't get me wrong, I've gone through a lot for an 18-year-old. I've been to hell and back and while all of it wasn't enjoyable, I wouldn't change it because it's made me who I am. But I know there are experiences that within the next few years, will shape me into the adult I'm going to be. In my mind, you can't really decide your future when you don't know what you like or don't like.
2. I'm An Overachiever: This may seem like a reason to have everything figured out, but it's definitely not. I'm undeclared because I want to do so much with my life. I'm interested in genetics, neuroscience, and psychology. I have a weird love for math and technology and designing. I have an undying passion for music and playing music. I love connecting with and talking to people and helping others. Basically, I don't want to settle or be confined. It's a matter of wanting to really live and not just exist. I want to make a positive impact and change a broken world that needs a lot of love.
3. I Want To Be Passionate About My Career: I'm an emotional person, which I'm learning isn't necessarily bad like I thought it was. But with this personality trait there are definitive characteristics, one of those being passionate about things. I'm passionate about things I hate, but also very passionate about the things and the people I love. When I do decide what I want to do, whether that's next week or next year, I want to be absolutely positive that I'm passionate about it and will enjoy whatever I'm doing so I'll always be motivated to do my best. I don't want to rush into something just for the sake of saying I have my life figured out.
Maybe I'll decide spontaneously one day in class what I want to do with my life or maybe it'll be a gradual process. Whatever the case may be, it'll happen when it happens. I'm ok with that uncertainty for now because being undeclared or undecided is not bad. It just means you're exploring what the world has to offer and what you want to offer the world in return.
