Changing your major is a huge decision. And while it may not be a life or death situation, it sure seems like it when you’re caught in the middle of deciding what you want to do. After a year and week of being unhappy in a major I wasn’t in love with, I gathered up my courage to make the switch. However, that year leading up to the decision was a rough one, and I truly hope that no one has to go through the painful indecisive process of should I stay or should I go like I did. So, to help make the decision easier for you, here’s a little quiz to push you in the right direction. By no means should this determine your ultimate decision, but hopefully it will help you to make the best decision for you.
1. Are the classes geared toward your major…
A. There isn’t a word in the dictionary to describe how boring they are.
B. Full of interesting material without an interesting professor.
C. I don’t like classes in general; why is school a thing?
D. Tell me everything, I want to learn more!
2. Choose an object(s):
A. classy watch
B. fountain pen
C. tennis shoes
D. sunglasses
3. How do you feel about the future?
A. Graduation can’t come fast enough, I’m only here for the degree!
B. Well, I’m not sure what I want to do yet so someone get me the magic 8 ball.
C. I can’t wait to get a job doing what I love.
D. Please don’t make me graduate, I’d rather be a senior for three more years.
4. Think of the jobs your current major could lead to, are you excited for any of them?
A. Eh, not really. A job is a job.
B. I don’t know which job I want to do more!
C. I’m really banking on one job in my field that I think I would love.
D. My career field isn’t really doing so hot right now…
5. Do you consider yourself to be more…
A. spontaneous
B. rational
C. adventurous
D. selfless
6. Where are most of your best friends?
A. Literally, all of them are in my major.
B. I work with them.
C. They’re in my sorority, fraternity, or an outside organization.
D. We’re the stereotypical group of friends from high school.
7. What do your parents think about your major?
A. They don’t really care what I choose.
B. It’s a waste of my time and money to them; they always ask how I’m supposed to get a job.
C. They’re happy knowing I’m doing what I love.
D. They really want me to follow in their footsteps; I’ll be the third Viola in my family majoring in nursing.
8. Choose the food your most craving right now:
A. a slice of pizza (or a whole pizza if you’re really hungry)
B. a steaming cup of soup (preferably in a bread bowl)
C. a perfectly grilled steak with your choice of veggie (mashed potatoes are already included)
D. some sort of pasta (spaghetti, Fettuccine Alfredo, rigatoni)
Key:
Add up the points from each question, and then match them to the answers below!
Question 1: A-3, B-1, C-2, D-0
Question 2: A-3, B-2, C-1, D-0
Question 3: A-2, B-3, C-0, D-1
Question 4: A-3, B-0, C-2, D-1
Question 5: A-3, B-2, C-0, D-1
Question 6: A-3, B-0, C-1, D-2
Question 7: All are 0
Question 8: A-2, B-3, C-0, D-1
1 – 7 points
YAY! You’re happy with your major and excited for everything the future holds for you. Congratulations on finding something you love doing, and use that passion to turn your major into a career that will inspire others.
8 -14 points
You’re okay with your major, but there’s a part of you wondering if you’d be happier somewhere else. Before making the decision to switch, reach out to an upper class student to ask them what your major entails further down the line. Consider also reaching out to someone who holds a full time job in your line of study, and see if you can shadow them for a day. If you find you don’t like the work that they do, then figure out where your passions lie, and jump headfirst into them. Other things could be holding you back from changing your major; whether it’s family, friend groups, or fear, know that it’s okay to take a leap of faith and fall in love with another line of work.
15 – 21 points
Every other major is looking pretty good when compared to your own, so it’s time to make the switch. Being unhappy while doing something you love is difficult enough, but being unhappy while doing something you don’t like is even worse. If something is holding you back from switching, figure out what it is and why it’s holding you back. It will help you in figuring out how to move forward. Then if you don’t know what you want to do, write down the top five things you love doing and find organizations on campus that encompass those passions. Attend those organizations’ meetings. There, you’ll find people who have similar passions as you and learn about the ways they’re planning on turning those passions into careers. It’s possible you’ll find what you want to do when you see all these peers striving for what they want.
Changing your major may seem like the end of the world, but it doesn’t define you. Sometimes throwing practicality out the window opens the door for true happiness to shine through.