I am currently an exploratory major. While this is occasionally scary, I have learned so much about myself and higher education as I take the time to discover what career paths interest me. It may be intimidating at times, but ultimately, I think that it is a beautiful place to be. If you are in a similar situation, I hope my experience can provide you with guidance as you move forward.
Thinking About College
During my senior year of high school, which was only a year ago, I began applying to universities. I’m from Denver, Colorado, but I had always known that I wanted to go to the East Coast for my degree. When I applied to college as a psychology or psychological sciences major, depending on the school, I was acting on the assumption that I would become a sports psychologist. This was a career path I wanted to pursue because of my love of sports. However, as my college journey moved forward, this plan quickly changed.
Decision Time
During my spring break senior year, I was finally able to visit the final three schools I was considering, which were all on the East Coast. Even though I currently attend the University of Connecticut, it was not a school that I was truly considering at first; I simply preferred the other schools that I got into. During this break, the two schools I wanted to end up at were busts, and I didn’t like the atmosphere at either. I still didn’t love UConn, but looking back, I blame that on having a bad morning leading up to my tour.
After this trip, I started reevaluating my choices. I realized that psychology was no longer a field I truly wanted to go into. My heart was not in it anymore. I began doing more in-depth research on UConn and realized that it seemed like a school I could see myself at. I looked at my applicant portal and saw that I could change majors, which was a major factor in my decision to attend. I put in a request to change to an undecided major, or the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES) program, and it was thankfully granted.
Beginnings On Campus
As soon as I stepped on campus for my orientation, I loved it. While my happiness and excitement may have been too much for the moment, I am grateful for the experience and look back on it fondly. During orientation, I met my advisor through ACES, who is extremely kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. The only thing I knew I wanted was that I would probably go into the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). The majors included in CLAS encompass the type of fields I am interested in, but I still could not narrow it down any further. Despite this, my advisor worked with me to find classes in subjects that I wanted to look into more deeply.
After orientation, I had the whole summer to think about my future. During this long break, I didn’t think about my future at all. Was this a good decision? I’m not sure if it was or not, but I cannot go back and change it now.
When I got to campus, everyone constantly asked what my major was, and I was embarrassed when I had to respond with “umm, undecided.” While I often ask people what they are majoring in, I don’t like being asked the question. Saying that I am undecided has made me feel empty because it feels like all of my peers know exactly what they want to do. I would not say that I feel fully inadequate, but on some level I do. I find it hard to remember that other people may be struggling like me, or may switch their majors eventually. I tend to think that everyone else will succeed, which leaves me feeling left behind.
I still have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life. When I narrow down an area of study or a possible career path, I come out feeling even more lost than before. While it is scary, there can be beauty in it too. I don’t have anything figured out, but wandering is not always the worst thing. The scenic route is often the more enjoyable road to be on because you get to absorb all of the beauty and take the time to do the things that you would not if you were on the freeway.
Pathways
One thing I am grateful for this semester is that I can take a lot of classes that are not in any one subject. It has allowed me to explore so many different things. This semester I am in journalism, sociology, anthropology, and statistics classes. While all of these classes fit into CLAS, I still find it incredibly difficult to narrow down my specific interest among them.
UConn has something called First Year Experience (FYE), a class that meets one hour a week and is an introduction to college life. My FYE class is through the ACES department, so it focuses on exploring yourself, careers, and majors. This course has seriously helped me feel more confident in being undecided. In this class, we have gone over how being in a certain major does not determine your entire life. A person could be a mathematics major and end up working as a journalist. What matters most is not what you study, but how you study it, alongside the activities that you participate in, like internships, research, clubs, and volunteering.
Conclusions
Instead of worrying about whether the path you are on is the right one, you need to trust the process and live your life under the assumption that you will figure it all out. Above all, you must give yourself grace.
I originally set out thinking that I was lost in life because I was undecided. Now I see it as an opportunity to explore many different paths and not close myself off to any opportunities. Despite sometimes being scared or nervous, I’m extremely happy that I am an undecided major because I have time to decide what I want my life to look like without feeling limited to one path.
Wandering through higher education is beautiful, as long as you remind yourself to stop, look around, and enjoy.