As high school seniors, we were pushed to pick what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives. We were told college is the tool that will set you up for your future, but what if we have no idea what our future holds? When I came to UofL I thought knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to become a bioengineer and make prosthetics. I was certain I had made the right choice and didn’t even look at other options.
My first few semesters of college went pretty well. They were mainly filled with general education classes, basic science courses, and about every calculus course under to sun. After I completed the prerequisite classes I started to dive deeper into engineering. I found myself struggling in classes I thought I would love and thriving in others. It didn’t make sense to me. Why wasn’t I passionate about my chemistry and biology classes like I was about my physics and mechanical classes? It wasn’t until my fourth semester in college that I even considered doing something other than making prosthetics. I started learning more about what I could do with a bioengineering degree and it made me wonder if I fit the bioengineering mold. Don’t get me wrong I think bioengineering is a wonderful major. I just wondered if it’s the right major for me.
Fall of sophomore year was rough. I did not like most of my classes, my grades slipped, and I wanted out of my major. However, I was terrified of making a decision that I might regret down the line. I did not know what to do and definitely did not want to make the wrong decision. Over winter break I thought about switching majors, but I never acted on it. So, on the first day of classes this spring I went to all my planned bioengineering classes. That’s when I realized that I needed to switch. After my classes were over, I met with my academic advisor and switched my entire flight plan to mechanical engineering that very evening.
What seemed impulsive and crazy, may have been the best decision for me. I am loving my mechanical engineering classes. Looking back on my previous semester, I realize I had no reason to be afraid. Changing majors is scary and a big decision. However, at the end of the day you have to do what is best for you. You may not know what the future holds for you right now and that’s okay. There is no reason to do something you are not passionate about. If you are considering switching majors, I encourage you to be brave and trust in yourself.
Also, if you are like me, you may have never even considered other majors. I encourage you to find what your passionate about and see if you can make that your future!