Regardless of how your GPA withstood it, last fall was undoubtedly one of the most difficult semesters in recent memory. Dealing with the end of a vicious election season and volatile shifts in the economy took a mental toll on countless Americans. This, combined with the daily stresses of college life, caused a great deal of students to reevaluate themselves and their life goals. Along with thousands of others, you might be unhappy with the major you chose, disappointed in your grades, or worried about your future job prospects. I was in this exact spot a little over a year ago. And believe it or not, you have options.
With the new year comes opportunities to restructure your life and current situation in your college career, but with leftover anxieties from the previous year and concerns for the future, making a decision as important as switching majors seems much easier said than done. Family pressure might lock you into a path struggling to become a doctor. A flooded market might discourage you from standing out as a computer scientist. Whatever your story may be, switching majors does not mean you’re settling for something less or giving up on your dreams. In fact it’s a decision that might even help you reach your goals even faster and in a more positive mindset than the one you may be in. Even if you're considering it, more than likely you’re still unsure whether or not to make that leap, so here’s a list of concerns and issues to consider that helped me decide to switch.
“You won’t find a job if you aren’t a STEM major.”
If you come from a family of math people, scientists, or engineers, you’ve more than likely heard this before at some point. As a former mechanical engineering major, this idea made it extremely difficult for me to change my path in college. Statistics show that, in general, STEM graduates make more on average than their counterparts. What the statistics don’t seem to take into account are the comparisons between the engineers that graduate with a 2.2 versus the political science majors that finish their degree with a 3.0. If you’re a STEM major (or anything else, really) struggling with your workload, trying your hardest to study but barely scraping by with C’s on your exams, it’s going to put you at a disadvantage applying for internships, grad schools, and eventual job opportunities. At the end of the day, your GPA is one of the defining factors that determine your success after college. It’s more important to be critical with yourself and focus on your intellectual strengths instead of forcing yourself to scrape by through a degree that doesn’t allow you to live up to your potential. You will have a better chance of earning what you envision by making sure your degree is one that helps you grow as a confident, productive adult.
“Your Mental Health is More Important Than Your Current Major.”
In my previous major, I often had to convince myself that even though I was miserable in the short term, all the struggle and suffering I put myself through would hopefully make me happier in the long run. I found out too late that this was not always the case. Besides long-term happiness after college, you still have to stay in a positive mindset about what you’re studying if you want to maximize your potential in college. To reach your goals and ensure success in the future, self-care has to remain a top priority, especially if you’ve dealt with mental health issues before. According to the APA, over 33% of all college students struggle to do well in school due to depression, and nearly half reported feeling overwhelmed because of anxiety. College is stressful enough already, and if you’ve struggled with these issues because of your current workload, you aren’t alone. Changing majors to study something you feel personally invested in and excited to learn about can greatly improve your well-being. Choosing a major that focuses on what makes you great does not – I repeat, does not – mean you are any weaker or less intelligent just for wanting a change.
“I Don’t Want to Give Up on My Dreams.”
More than likely, your first-choice major was the one that you felt was going to make your dreams a reality. Maybe you always wanted to be a writer as a kid, or maybe you decided to try for medical school your junior year of high school. Whatever your plans are, the thought of switching majors because of outside circumstances can feel defeating, like you’re settling for a life that’s less than what you deserve. Even if your dreams don’t come true exactly the way you planned doesn’t mean they won’t come true at all. Everyone’s path to success is different. The kid who wanted to become a writer might realize that they have a talent for computer coding as a freshman in college, and the junior who decided to try for med school might realize they’re happier studying music because it’s what they’ve loved to do all along. Dreams don’t have to die, but they can change - and sometimes they should. Realizing what you truly want out of life is part of becoming an adult, and just because it doesn’t match up with what you had in mind as a kid doesn’t mean you’re giving up on yourself. You’re just being real with yourself.
If you are considering switching majors in the near future but are unsure of what the future holds, these are a few things to consider that might help you find the confidence to make a change. From experience I can say that it was one of the best decisions I made for my success in college. It’s 2017, a new year with new opportunities to improve your life. Don’t be afraid to help yourself succeed.
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