“What college are you going to be attending? Do you know what you are going to major in?” Those were two questions that I had to deal with a lot the summer of my senior year, and I am sure a lot of you can relate. Most of the time it was well-meaning family and friends who wanted to know if I had a plan for the rest of my life. I was so excited to go to The University of Akron, so I didn't mind being asked the first question, but the second one was always a little tough for me. The answer was no, I had no clue what I wanted to major in. Whenever I told someone that I didn’t know, they would try to offer me advice, and usually it would not help at all. Family members told me what they thought I should major in, and most of the time it would be something that I could never imagine myself doing. For example, my grandma told me I should major in nursing, but I guess she didn't know that I freak out at the sight of needles and blood and basically everything else that nurses have to do on a daily basis. Some friends told me that I better figure it out quickly, or I would be wasting my time in college. Even at orientation when I had to schedule my classes, I was forced to pick at least a “pre-major” or something that I was considering majoring in. To say it was all stressing me out was an understatement.
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After I moved into my dorm and the reality that I was finally in college set in, I began to think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I couldn’t help but think about all the things people told me before I left home. What if I never figured out what I wanted to major in? At one point I began to wonder if maybe college wasn’t for me, because I didn’t know what I wanted to study while I was there. At first, I decided to major in business, and then education, but neither of those really felt right for me. I heard stories about students who went for a semester, took a class that really ignited a passion inside of them, and that’s how they decided on their major. I thought, “Oh awesome, that will probably happen to me!” I was wrong. I took very basic, general education classes my first two semesters, and none of them inspired me in any way. By the end of my second semester, I was in total freak out mode about the rest of my life.
The first semester of my second year, I was determined to soul search and find out what I wanted to major in and have as a career after I graduated. I talked to my advisor and decided to take a couple of communications classes. I love to write, and so at one point I thought I might want to major in English. However, after a long talk with my mom about it, I decided that wasn’t right either. I started the first week of classes hoping that these communication classes would spark something in my mind and I would figure it out. I enjoyed the classes, and the next time I went to my advisor I talked to her about a communication major. I decided to specifically choose the Radio and TV major, and that I wanted to work in television. I came to this decision after watching the show "30 Rock." In the show, Tina Fey plays Liz Lemon, who is the head writer for a television show on NBC. Watching the show and seeing what it might be like to work in television definitely influenced my choice of major. I know it might sound weird that a TV show helped me decide what career I wanted, but at least something helped me figure it out! After one semester in, I love it. I am so excited to finally be done with the everyday stress of not knowing where I am going in life.
It’s okay to not know what you want to major in as a freshman, and even as a sophomore. I didn’t know until the second half of my sophomore year, and I think I’m turning out just fine in college. It is stressful, but just know that it will happen. You will find what you’re passionate about, whether it be after taking a certain class, after experiencing something through an organization you're in, or even just something random that makes you stop and think about it. Stop stressing and let life happen like it's supposed to! I wish I could go back and tell myself that before I went to college. As for now, the question I get the most is, “what exactly do you want to do after you graduate?” And even though I have a good idea of what I want to do, it’s also okay to not know the answer to that question. I know seniors who are graduating this year and still don’t know. I have faith that they will figure it out, and if you are one of the people struggling with that question as well, it will be okay. You’ve got some time to figure it out, and you are not alone in your confusion.
