Honestly, there are definitely times when I wonder why I decided to become the major I am. There are times when I debate whether or not I actually made the right decision and if it will be worth it in the end. Yet, there are other days when I know the answer to every little question I have and I move forward anticipating the bright future ahead of me. Here in college, the least we can do for ourselves is keep alive the fire of determination we took so long to build in the first place. Here is how you can keep that passion alive.
1. Branch Out:
Within the major itself, join clubs, study groups, or find jobs that have a similar feel to what you are studying. Your major should not be only about one thing, it should be about a wide variety of opportunities you can create for yourself. If you're a music major, join more than one ensemble! If you're an English major, studying outside your normal genre, like screenplays versus stageplays or fantasy versus science fiction.
2. Make Impulsive Decisions:
I have learned that some of my best decisions of been ones that took no more than three seconds of thought. Why? Because in that moment I wasn't afraid of what would happened and I wasn't thinking about the possibility of failing; I simply wanted to have fun and expand my horizons. Granted, don't jumped into anything you know is dangerous and don't do every little thing you think you might want to do. If you have the time and you want to keep your major a little spicy, just make that quick decision and enjoy yourself!
3. Don't Do It All the Time:
You heard me: take a break. There's no shame in having something you absolutely love doing, but don't make it the only thing you enjoy. Have or find more than one hobby. Do something completely different just for the experience or simply take a break. Don't make the one thing you love doing the only thing you love doing. Eventually, you might get bored or stuck on where to go from there. Always have a backup plan.
4. Strive to Become Better:
It may seem obvious, but try to find something within your major that you never thought you could do and then do it. Find that piece of music that terrified you in high school and perform it for your jury. Take that physics class you thought you would fail and prove yourself wrong. You wrote a 200 page novel? Why not try for 250 or even 300? Find ways to push yourself. Even when you think you've reached the max, go further and find that challenge few dare to take on.
5. Remember Why You Chose Your Path:
If it's constantly telling yourself you have a dream or that you want to become a better person, then that is okay. Keep in mind the reason you chose this path in life and stick to it. Never lose sight of your goal and always crave the sweet taste of victory. Never give up and tell yourself that you have a dream to fulfill. It's okay to stray from the path or even stop and rethink your past decisions, but don't doubt yourself and take what you've learned to better prepare yourself for the future. You can do it.
