It Is Okay To Change Your Major | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

It Is Okay To Change Your Major

Pay no mind to what your friends and family have to say. Do this for you.

5
It Is Okay To Change Your Major
prefertrip

Less than a year ago, college freshmen were asking for permission to use the restroom. Less than a year ago, college freshmen were forced into taking courses on subjects they have no interest in. If high school students had more opportunities to explore different areas of study, I think fewer students would be changing their majors.

There are three types of students. Some know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives and others have no idea where to start, but most are stuck somewhere in between with a few different ideas. I like to think I know exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life, but I know I can be very indecisive.

But listen here: it is okay to change your major.

You are not alone. It is estimated that almost 70% of college students change their major at least once.

As a college sophomore, I have officially changed my major on three separate occasions and have even transferred schools. I have declared a different major in each of the three semesters I have attended school. In the fall semester of my freshman year, I was a nursing major. I consider myself very passionate about helping others, and as a teenager, I found the financial realities of nursing to be more attractive than a lot of alternatives. I was convinced nursing was what I wanted to do for the entirety of my senior year of high school.

Halfway through my first anatomy class, I realized I did not want to follow through with it. I was having a hard time memorizing everything and was not doing as well as I am used to in class. "If I am struggling at this early stage," I thought, "what would it be like when I get accepted into the program the next year?" I dropped anatomy and decided to change to Elementary Education.

My high school offered a program called "Cadet Teaching" for seniors. It allowed students to spend 90 minutes in a local elementary school classroom each day. Students worked alongside teachers and helped lead lessons, grade papers, and work with the students. I had an awesome experience with the two classes I worked with, and an even better experience with my supervising teacher. She influenced me to go into education. She made a difference in each of her students' lives, just like my elementary teachers did for me. I only wanted to do the same for these young kids. The spring semester of my freshman year went a lot better than the first. I was truly enjoying my classes and could picture doing this for the rest of my life.

Over the summer, I won a scholarship through my work. I had the opportunity to go to the corporate office of Culver's, an American restaurant chain. As I toured the office, I met some very passionate employees, and I also had the pleasure of meeting founder Craig Culver himself! I fell in love with the environment and the passion. This one experience changed my mind entirely. I was so set on becoming a teacher, but now I was reconsidering my major all over again. Business was now an option. After long consideration, THIS is what I can really see myself doing. Who is to say I can't see myself doing something else again.

This fall, I started my sophomore year at an entirely different school two and a half hours away. I transferred to continue my softball career and receive a better education. New school, new year, new major. This time, I have no intentions of changing my major. Though I never did before, either.

Changing majors can be hard. Essentially, you are giving up on an idea and feel like a failure. Many of your peers are doing beyond excellent in their given fields, and here you are still taking entry level courses. Each time you change your major, the closer you are to truly knowing what you want to do. Do not change for anybody besides yourself. The nagging worry of not graduating on time is often a burden. You do not have to graduate in four years. The end result is all that matters.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

178381
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

5592
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451392
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22690
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments