This is not the first time I have wrote about my major through Odyssey, in fact it’s about the third or fourth time I have. If you did not know, my major is Sports Management with a minor in Sports ministry. Also, if you haven’t read my previous articles about this, my journey to this point has been less than traditional. So, here is a short background on my choice of major.

When I first came into Pfeiffer I was a communications major, then at one point at double major with communications and Psychology. Then, halfway through my spring semester, I recognized I wasn’t happy with my major and had recently started working within our athletic department at Pfeiffer. I fell in love with college athletics and I suddenly felt at home when I switched my major and started taking classes this semester. Here is the non-traditional part of this major switch, most sport management majors are athletes and more predominantly male. I am a female non-athlete who failed epically at playing sports in her younger years and still fails at it today.

I am saying all of this to point out that fact that I am aware that I am a part of a small group of students who are going into sports management as a future career. Thankfully the number of women going into to sport management is slowly growing but one area that is lacking is the number of non-athletes going into it. So many times, when I have gone home and mentioned my major to family, friends and my parent’s friends there is usually a variety of reactions to my major choice. One reaction, the best reaction is the one who is completely supportive and is excited for you. But as I have found there is many varieties of reactions people can have to this. One reaction I have gotten often is a look of shock and concern, not understanding how or why I would work in sports. Overall I have received a lot of looks of confusion and shock at this being my major choice. Sometimes even receiving looks that say that it won’t last.

I would receive these looks and would get discouraged and sometimes even frustrated. As the semester has went on, though, I have become more confident in my major and these looks have become easier to ignore. As I mentioned earlier, this major may seem confusing to people who knew me from when I was younger, and that is somewhat understandable. At the same time, though, what must be understood is that I am confident in my major, so support is the best reaction you could have.

So, when someone you know switches majors to something that shocks you or you don’t agree with, the best thing you can do is support them. To the people in my life who are and have supported my switch into my major, thank you. Your support makes it easier for me to feel comfortable and more confident in my major!

The moment I made the decision to switch my major, I was shocked that I had reached this point of majoring in something I never thought I would. That's the funny thing about life, sometimes you'll be going on with things and suddenly everything will change. I fell in love with college athletics and the idea of working in college athletics one day. I have reached a point where I am confident in my major.