“What are you going to be when you grow up?” is a question that all of us have been asked at least once in our lives. While others would say their answers — firefighter, doctor, veterinarian — I have always had absolutely no idea. Needless to say, this feeling lasted far into my high school years and even in my college career. I never had one of those “dream jobs” that I would aspire to and set goals towards.
When deciding which universities to apply to and what major I wanted to choose, I truly had no concept of where I wanted to take my life. It was hard; all of my classmates and friends had a structured idea of what to do, which led me to feel isolated, not knowing which college to attend or what discipline to study.
Following in the footsteps of my older brother, I decided to attend the Colorado School of Mines, which is primarily a STEM school. I had always excelled in math and science in high school, and figured that if I was good at it, then why not revolve my studies and future career around it. I ended up studying Geological Engineering for two years, enduring difficult calculus, physics, and chemistry courses, while struggling to stay afloat. I had always excelled in high school; however, this was the first time that I really struggled with school.
This had brought down my confidence and hindered my love for science. Although I loved geology and sciences, the rigor had brought down my drive for school, especially when studying science. I felt stuck at this school, constantly drowning in homework. My passion for science had been slowly declining, and I had missed the creativity in my courses.
After a particularly rough semester, the spring of my sophomore year was when I decided that I needed a big change. After a tearful conversation with my mother, we both decided that it was best for me to transfer to a different university and switch up my major as well. I had always loved the creative aspects of school, including writing, reading, and creating visuals. I truly did not know where I wanted to go, academically, but I knew it needed to be something totally different than science.
After researching majors and deep diving into the CU major guide, as well as talking to different advisors, I finally chose strategic communications, with a track in advertising. I knew this would be perfect for me, as I could combine my love for creative writing with being able to apply my technical skills I had obtained at the Colorado School of Mines in aspects of graphic design. Although it was a stark change, I had excelled and blossomed in my classes, finally wanting to go to class, and not dreading hours upon hours of coursework that I hated completing.
Needless to say, I have had a very niche and unique experience figuring out what I wanted to study and what I aim to go into career-wise. For those who still have no idea what they want to study, or if you are feeling stuck in a major that feels like an endless spiral, all I can say is trust your gut. You don’t have to stick out a major or school just because it is expected of you. Even though I was a very late transfer, it was the best decision I have ever made academically, and it showed me that change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.