Last semester I did something I never imagined I would do. I walked into the Academic Advising office, sat down, and uttered the words “I want to change my major.” This was monumental for me because I never pictured myself doing anything but what I loved. I was majoring in musical theatre, and could not believe I was getting to live out my passion. But the time came when I realized that I could no longer follow that path, and unfortunately I had to make the scary decision to change courses.
Going into college, there are many expectations set up for you. Figure out where you want to go, pick a major, spend four years there, and then get a job in that field. Sadly, this leads so many people to be confused and worried about making the wrong choices. What if I don’t like my major? What if it takes me five years to graduate? What if I want to transfer? All these questions come up, yet we become too afraid to actually ask them because of what we think we are supposed to do.
Personally, I was wondering all these questions. My college journey began when I attended a large public university in my home state of Massachusetts. I was hopeful and excited to start a new chapter, but had not quite prepared myself properly. Once I got to school in the fall, I realized the theatre program there was less than what I needed it to be. I had spent years and years acting, singing, and dancing, and pretty much knew that was the path for me. I took the steps necessary to audition for more intensive programs elsewhere, and eventually transferred to study musical theatre in a much better program. I was ecstatic to go to Marymount Manhattan College where I would be in the perfect city to study theatre, and truly hone my craft. I quickly learned though that the future I wanted for myself did not line up with what my college career was setting me up for. There were so many things I knew I wanted out of life and realized that continuing down this road would not lead me to them. I also knew that there were things I didn’t want out of life that this road would lead me to. I finally understood what I needed to do.
Don’t get me wrong – this was not easy to go through at all. Making this choice, especially after pouring so much into what I had already done, was not something that came easy. But I took it step by step, and eventually gained the courage to make a new choice for myself. I was filled with fear about what I was going to do. I thought I had already lost so much time and that I was a failure. This whole process was terrifying and difficult to handle. But I took control of my life, my future, and my happiness, and I am now so glad that I did.
Changing my major seemed so daunting, and I was truly so unsure of what the outcome would be. Now that I am on the other side, I can see that it was not so bad after all. Plenty of people change their minds in college. Isn’t that what it’s all about? This is a time to learn about yourself and grow, and sometimes making a change is part of that process. Deciding to change your major – or make any change in your college career – is not the end of the world. It is perfectly normal, and something we should not be afraid to do. Trust in your own journey, and remember that everyone’s path looks different.