What is your major? This is probably the most frequently asked question the first week at college. The second most frequently asked question: What job do you want to get with that? This is how I feel about that question…
First of all at the start of college we are all in our teens. I repeat, teenagers. I repeat, we still listen to One Direction and J Bieber. Expecting a group of confused, hormonal, and overwhelmed college students to know what they want to do with their lives is absolutely terrifying.
I had no idea what I wanted to do going into college. As a sophomore, I still have no idea. I have switched from communication to journalism and now possibly to pre-medicine. But, guess what I learned in the process? College is the time to do this.
In European countries, college is a place of self-discovery, a place to develop a well-rounded worldview. In the United States, college is an assembly line, manufacturing students suited to a particular major. Of course, this is an exaggeration. Yet, college has become too focused on learning for a career. Instead, college should be about learning for you.
Is this naïve? Maybe. But exploring all the options your university has to offer is the only way to truly learn what you want to do. Don’t choose one path and stick to it. Try an anatomy class. Try a history class. Don’t be afraid to find a new interest. Don’t be afraid to pursue a different career.
College is the ONLY time in our lives to experiment and explore without real world responsibilities. Don’t let that go to waste!