I fell in love with journalism at a young age. I thought I was predestined to be a Rory Gilmore, running the paper and rocking the world around me. In college, I started my journalism classes and suddenly, things started changing for me.
At first, I thought it was just the beginning of the major and that some of these required classes were just meant to weed out some people. But as I got further into my degree, I realized this wasn’t for me. I suddenly dreaded going to my journalism classes.
When I went to class, I wasn’t there. I was bored or constantly second guessing the projects I was working on. I watched the people around me so passionate about what they were doing and had all these ideas for stories for their projects. I was intrigued and respected their passion, but I felt like I didn’t belong.
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It was the spring semester of my junior year and people around me kept talking about their internships they had lined up and all the plans they had to be journalists. At that point, I knew I couldn’t stay in my major.
I met with my advisor who walked me through all my options in the college. She showed me degree check sheet after degree check sheet. The last sheet she handed to me was for Professional Writing. As I read through the requirements, something clicked.
After a few days, I went back to my advisor’s office and we filled out all of the paperwork to change my major. At that point, I agreed to add one extra semester to my degree to make it all work.
I started professional writing classes in the fall of my senior year. I liked what I was doing and felt inspired to write. I felt curious in the stories people were writing and the ideas my fellow classmates pitched.
I’m not alone in this major change decision. About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.
It’s okay to be uncertain about your major and feel like you don’t belong. It’s okay to question your major choices and explore other options. College is the time to explore as much as possible before we’re all out in the real world.
If you’re questioning your major or if it’s right for you, talk to your professors or your advisor. Ask questions and find what works for you. If you’re not passionate about your major, it might be time for you to examine why. OU offers plenty of resources for students to determine what their strengths and passions are.
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