You might be going into your third or fourth year of college when suddenly, you’re overcome with anxiety and uncertainty as you realize you’re halfway through your bachelor’s. You might feel like you haven’t accomplished enough during your first few years in college, or you might start considering switching majors. Keep in mind that this happens to the best of us and there are ways in which you can overcome your anxiety to make the most of your final years as an undergrad.
1. Go to your advisor.
This one seems pretty obvious, but it is very important to meet with your advisor at least once a semester. This way you can explain to them what your concerns are so they can help you find possible solutions. Also, it’s very important to meet with your advisor before registration week to see which courses you should take so you don’t fall behind in your requirements and end up staying in college for another semester. If you haven’t met with your advisor or have no idea who your advisor is, contact your department ASAP! Don’t be like me and wait until you’re almost in your fourth year to meet with your advisor for the first time ever.
2. Get out of your comfort zone.
Comfort might be the culprit behind your lack of progress. We might get too comfortable where we are or we might be scared to try new things for fear of failure or rejection. Sit down and map out possible routes you’d like to take. When you set a goal, get off your couch and start working to achieve it, Netflix isn’t going anywhere. As Henry David Thoreau once said, “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” Don’t let fear hold you back!
3. Stop doubting yourself!
I know what it feels like to think that your goals are so far out of your reach that they will never materialize. Guess what? YOU’RE WRONG! If you fail once, keep trying. Doubting your abilities will get you nowhere and will only bring you more anxiety. No one succeeds overnight on their first try, just make sure to learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward. You already made it this far, quitting is not an option. Bear in mind that life gets hard at times, but it’s up to you if you let obstacles keep you from achieving your goals. Success, like everything else in life, takes time, hard work, and dedication. Elle Woods didn’t get into Harvard Law by giving up!
4. Don’t compare yourself to other people.
It’s time for you to stop measuring your progress based on what other people have accomplished this far in their college careers. Every person goes at their own pace. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself because someone got the internship of their dreams and you didn’t, go back to steps two and three. Sure, it’s totally okay to feel a bit frustrated when you get a rejection email and you might end up watching Titanic for the 10,000th time while eating junk food at 3:00a.m., but wake up in the morning and shake it off. Don’t give up and keep looking. Who knows? You might come across something even better.
5. If you’re interested in something, go ahead and try it.
I cannot stress this enough. If you feel like you might be interested in something, whether it is a student organization, or an extracurricular activity, go ahead and give it a try. What’s the worst thing that can happen? If you’re not willing to take risks, there’s no way you can find out what best suits your interests. This is important, not only for your professional future, but to find yourself as well. How can you decide what you want to do with your life if you don’t know what you like in the first place?
6. Ask questions!
Doubt is your worst enemy. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how stupid you think those questions are. There were several opportunities I let pass by because I was too scared to ask questions and sound stupid. No one is born knowing everything and it’s perfectly okay not to.
7. Try to remember why you chose your major in the first place.
If you start to wonder whether your major is the right fit for you, try to rekindle the passion you once had for it. What is making you consider switching to another major? Have your interests changed or is your anxiety making you second-guess? When I started my third year in college, I started to think I had made a big mistake by switching from Psychology to English in my freshman year, but as it turns out, it was only my anxiety putting ideas in my head. Try to fall back in love with your major by talking to other people in your major, joining organizations, applying to internships, or trying new extracurricular activities related to it. If you no longer feel the same passion for it, that’s fine. People grow and our interests change over time, but be 100% sure before making any definitive decisions.
8. Reach out to people in other majors that might interest you.
If you cannot let go of the idea of switching majors, branch out and surround yourself with people from other majors you’d like to pursue. This way, you can get to know their stories and what their goals are. It’s extremely important to catch a glimpse before you switch because you might end up hating it and regretting your decision later on. Also, research possible career choices and the courses you’d have to take to calculate if you can still graduate on time.
9. Start researching graduate schools.
Your time as an undergrad is almost up. It’s never too early to start researching graduate schools and requirements for admission. This is a very important step to make sure that you have everything in place when it’s time to apply. If it’s too late to switch majors, remember that there are other graduate degrees that might interest you that are not entirely related to your undergraduate degree. You can change paths any time you want. Your undergraduate degree isn’t a life sentence holding you back from opening yourself to new opportunities.
10. Breathe.
Take a moment to relax. It is important to think about your future but you won’t accomplish anything by stressing too much. You have to think with a clear head about what you want to do for the rest of your life, and stress will only cloud your judgement. Go out with your friends, do what you love, and rest your thoughts. Most importantly, take care of your mental health. Seek help and talk to people, you’d be surprised by how many more people are going through the same situation. Bottling your emotions inside will only hurt you in the long run and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in admitting that you need help.