A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a friend who was trying to decide on what to major in. We spent a long while discussing what she loved and what she was good at. Slowly, I began realizing that maybe I wasn’t as happy majoring in English as I once was. I declared my major before coming into my freshman year without much thought. I liked English, I was good at it, and I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do in the future: become an editor for young adult fiction. But, maybe that’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life…thus begins my nightmarish journey of deciding whether or not to switch majors.
1) Realization
You realize you might not love what you’re studying as much as you once did. That fire you came in with for your major during freshman year is slowly dying down and you start thinking it’s time for a change.
2) Self-Evaluation
You look back at your previous decisions and ask yourself, “What have I always wanted to do with my life?”
3) Research
You browse through the majors offered at UMass and excitement bubbles up because it’s like opening one door after another of endless opportunities.
4) Victory
You find a major that fits perfectly with your dream job. Suddenly you’re texting your best friend at midnight that you want to change the course of your college career.
5) Anxiety
You start getting worried about how to tell everyone else that you want to completely alter your life choices.
6) Panic (Pt. 1)
After hearing both negative and positive feedback from other people you begin to rethink your decisions. Mom and Dad say one thing, best friends and roommates say another…*insert every expletive known to man.*
7) Full-blown Indecision
You begin making pros and cons lists about your current major and the major you want to switch into. You do extensive research on job demand, job opportunities, job locations, etc. (You’ve basically become a crazy lady that compares salaries at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday.)
8) Insanity
Time is ticking and you still can’t decide if you should take a risk and go for your new major or if you should take the easy route and stick with what you know in your current major.
9) Panic (Pt. 2)
You seriously start considering switching and look at all the new courses you’ll have to take and realize how much work it’s going to be. It’s already almost second semester of sophomore year: Is there time for new classes? Will I have to stay an extra semester before I graduate? Will my social life disappear into oblivion?
10. Triumph(ish)
In the end, you decide that your future happiness is what should be your main concern. You sit down and think, “What’s the point of doing work that I know I’ll hate when I could make a change now and wind up doing something I really love?”
If you’ve truly lost your passion for your current major and you know there are better things out there for you, take a risk and go for it. Or, if you decide that maybe you’re just in a rut with your current classes, take a break next semester and take a few courses that are totally new to you, which could help you rekindle your love for your major again.