Figuring out what you will major in during your undergraduate education can feel daunting. As a rising junior, I most certainly do not have my career completely figured out, but I was still able to find a major and career track that best fit my interests and goals. Here are some of my tips:
Explore Possible Careers
I chose to major in neuroscience. Neither of my parents are in healthcare or science, so coming to the conclusion that I wanted to pursue this degree took researching careers, shadowing, and talking to various people who were students or healthcare workers. Towards the end of high school I knew that my favorite subjects were biology and history, and that I liked how interactive, life changing, and multidisciplinary a field like healthcare is. During high school, I volunteered at a local hospital and gained insight into the various roles in healthcare. I was able to see how many careers worked in a hospital, including a nurse, a registered dietitian, a physical therapist, a respiratory therapist, a physician, a certified nursing assistant, a patient care technician, and many more. While you might not be interested in healthcare, shadowing or volunteering can give you great insight into the career you hope to pursue! Try to research careers within subject matters you like and try to find a role that interests you.
Do Not Force It!
While your family or friends may voice their opinions on what major/career you should pursue, at the end of the day it is up to whether or not you enjoy it. I know that not everyone is given this privilege, but if you are given this choice, do not pursue something that doesn’t interest you. While a job title might come with prestige or a certain income, the main focus of selecting a major/career should be whether or not the subject matter and paths you can pursue with it interest you. Having a stable income is definitely a factor, but if you don’t like your job, you’re not really pursuing it for the right reasons, and you most likely will not be happy with your day-to-day life.
What do you hope to gain from or do with this major?
So how did I pick my major? I knew I was going to attend college, but I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to major in. After doing some more research, I knew that I liked the role a physician had. Physicians diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and help patients maintain good health. While I knew what I wanted to go to graduate school for now, I still had to figure out exactly what I wanted to major in. I knew that I wanted to pursue a degree in the biological sciences as I enjoyed that in high school and that would give me a strong foundation in many pre-med classes I would need to take. Neuroscience felt like the perfect fit for me because it combined my interests for physiology and psychology.