Figuring out my main interest, or what some would call my “passion,” has pretty much been the struggle of a lifetime. Everywhere I looked it seemed as though people were having epiphanies left and right about exactly which career path they wanted to take, and how they were going to get there. Meanwhile, I just wanted to enjoy the classes I was in without having to justify how they would serve me professionally in the long run.
I’ve always been interested in literature, writing, communication, leadership, history, arts, and creativity as a whole. Now, I realize that’s a lot of stuff, but I figured someday it would all fuse together into one perfect college major and I would have a smooth path to my dream job. After spending a semester in college, however, I started becoming even more anxious about the prospect of having to pick just one path, because it seemed as though I would somehow be dishonoring my other interests if I didn’t pursue them all equally.
Why is it that we are made to believe that our majors should be our most important priority? I understand how much time, money, and energy we invest into making this choice, but I also believe that a deadline for picking a major shouldn’t be an expiration date for the remainder of your interests. More and more I have come to realize that stressing out about which major to pick is actually a good thing, because it means I care so deeply about so much, that I know any path I choose will be evermore enhanced by my multi-faceted love of learning.
College degrees don’t come with instructions, they’re earned and are yours for whatever you choose to do. If you buy a pair of jeans, it’s certainly recommended that you wear them as they come, but who’s to say you can’t distress them with some scissors, splatter a little paint on them, and call them your own? The successful people you admire probably didn’t have linear paths to their careers, and they probably didn’t neglect their interests when they felt it was the right time to pursue them. Take New School alum Tom Ford; although revered as one of today’s best fashion designers, he actually holds a B.F.A. in Architecture. More so, he used his passion for creativity to become a film director, producer, and screenwriter, creating Oscar nominated films including this year’s hit Nocturnal Animals.
Stories like Tom Ford’s have shown me that degrees don’t work like prescriptions – they do not guarantee success, much less in one discipline. Ultimately, it’s what you do with your knowledge, your passions, and your experiences that will propel you in the direction that best suits you. As of now, I’ve decided not to focus so much on the long-term and do what I feel is best for me at this point in my life. If you’re feeling conflicted too, I recommend you stop putting your energy into fueling that worry, and instead, focus it on the classes, passions, and dreams that already inspire you.