I have changed my major five different times. Is being academically undecided in this manner a disadvantage? No, not in my books. I simply have given myself the time to pursue my interests while on my journey of narrowing it down to a singular passion. After all, should we not appreciate the multiple disciplines available for our study from an interdisciplinary perspective? I do just that when I reflect back on why I was interested in my former majors.
First, I pursued and attained an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies. Contrary to popular opinion, I did not want to become an attorney. Simply put, I was shy and I loved to write, and since I was not ready to pursue a bachelors degree, paralegal studies felt like the best fit for me at the time.
First, I pursued and attained an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies. Contrary to popular opinion, I did not want to become an attorney. Simply put, I was shy and I loved to write, and since I was not ready to pursue a bachelors degree, paralegal studies felt like the best fit for me at the time.
After I finished my first degree, the love of learning had stirred, no wait, left a whirlpool of excitement in my stomach and a yearning to continue my education. It was over the next year that I completed an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies. What could I do in a major that pretty much was not a major? Well, this general studies program was to my advantage because I could explore different disciplines without the commitment that declaring another major elicited.
After my (second) graduation from Florida SouthWestern State College, I decided to pursue the major that fit into the classes I had taken my last semester. I decided to pursue Environmental Science and Policy. However, the summer, I realized that my heart lies in the humanities and social sciences, so I changed my major yet again before starting to attend USFSP to English in the writing track.
However, health problems soon took me away from school for a semester or two, and when it was time to come back, I decided to stay close to my childhood home and attend Florida Gulf Coast University. During this time I realized I was not as enamored with English as I formerly thought. I felt like my writing was stuttering when I tried to take formal classes. Rather, I realized that I enjoyed writing creatively on my own and writing formerly about other disciplines. Although I was desiring to major in psychology at this point (a rather hidden interest of mind ever since taking Psych 101 my first semester of college in 2013), I decided to pursue a “safer” choice and declared an Elementary Education major at Florida Gulf Coast University. After taking my first teaching course, I realized that there are more passionate teaching candidates out there than myself, and that I needed to be honest with myself in truly pursuing my interests.
This complicated journey continued while I soul-searched abroad Iceland for a week and by the time I came home, I knew that I wanted to pursue psychology back at USFSP. I realized that I have been settling in some degree, shape, or form when I have chosen my past majors with the exception of English and now psychology. People may lecture you that these fields will not provide ample job opportunities, but it is up to you as the student, you as the job hunter, and you as the person who knows yourself the best to decide what field is right. It is in this self-discovery that I told myself these concepts. While I always have the potential to change my major again, I truly believe that psychology will completely encompass my interests in the interdisciplinary, in humanity, and in other sub-fields of psychology.
With finally knowing what I want to pursue, I hope everyone else is enjoying their journey through college as we start a great new semester!
HCXOXO,
Emily