In college, majors are as essential as your last name when it comes to introducing yourself. I’ve only been here since the end of August, and without fail, every single time I first meet someone, I get asked what my major is.
I usually say something along the lines of “I have no idea! I’m undecided,” and bear witness to the look of yikes flash quickly across someone’s face before they say, “Oh you’ll figure it out soon, don’t worry.”
My only problem with the supportive (albeit pitying) statement from my peers is that I have no idea how I’ll figure it out.
In my opinion, there are just too many interesting choices.
I’m going to run through all of them and their pros and cons right now for your enjoyment. Stay tuned, it’s a long ride.
I love art. It makes me feel more aware of the world and myself, but I don’t know if I’m passionate enough to add it as a major.
Coding comes naturally to me for some odd reason, but I’ve heard how Computer Science majors don’t shower, and I don’t want to go down that road.
Political Science is super interesting, especially because of the wild events happening in the U.S. right now, but I’m not sure that sitting in an office studying policy is how I want to spend my life.
Criminal justice is a passion of mine, but there’s no Criminal Justice major at Michigan, so I would have to major in Sociology.
Writing only seems a good fit for me when I’m on a strict deadline and in the right frame of mind for ideas to come spewing out of me. Otherwise, I’m sitting in front of my laptop with a blank document and an incredible amount of pent-up frustration that makes me never want to write again.
Cognitive Science might actually speak to all of my interests because of its interdisciplinary nature, but I haven’t taken a full semester of the intro class: I’m not sure what it even is.
My biggest dream is to work in the fashion industry, but this school has no majors that are specifically catered to finding success in that.
Business seems appealing, especially since my dad’s an entrepreneur who tells me each day to take business classes – it’s “essential to how the world works nowadays,” – but to be perfectly honest, Ross is very intimidating.
At least I know that I can never be in the medical field because I’m squeamish, but that doesn’t exactly narrow things down.
So what does one do when they are in this predicament?
I wish I could tell you.
I’m already an indecisive person – I can barely choose what to eat for breakfast – so how am I supposed to choose a specific area of interest to focus on for the next three years?
All I know is that I’m very confused, very excited, and very panicked.
I’m jealous of those who figured their major out right away. They’re doing interviews for summer internships right now, thanks to their major declaration, while I’m sitting on my dorm bed, eating a bag of popcorn, and feeling my mind split into a million different directions.
Whatever the case, this’ll be figured out soon.
It has to be figured out soon. I’m running out of time.
I’m taking classes of interest right now, trying to narrow it down, but everything seems equally exciting.
When I have my major figured out, I’ll let you know, but until then, just know I’ll be enduring the constant, excruciating confusion of figuring out what I love the most.