Coming into college undeclared can be hard. You will be so sick of the “oh, what’s your major” question and the “don’t worry, you have plenty of time” responses by the end of your first semester that you’ll feel like picking a major just to shut people up.
Amidst the annoying comments, being an undeclared major is also confusing as hell. What clubs should you join? What questions should you ask? It seems like there isn’t an easy answer for anything when you don’t know what degree you’re pursuing.
But just because you’re an undeclared major now doesn’t mean there’s any reason to sweat it. I came into college with an undeclared major a year ago, and declared my major the last month of my freshman year. Below are five ways to make the most of your undeclared status, and leave this semester one step closer to figuring this whole college thing out.
- Think About Your Interests
I get it, I get it. Not every student feels like they have a “passion” or a “calling.” That’s okay. You don’t have to have a passion or a dream job to pick a major you really enjoy.
Start thinking about what you were interested in during high school. Were you excited about sports and fitness? Exercise science might be interesting to you. Did you love writing and reading? You might want to consider English, Communications, or a social science program.
2. Think About Your High School Classes
Did you have an all-time favorite class in high school? For my freshman year roommate, that class was zoology, and she said her final in that class was somehow “fun.” She ended up declaring a Biology major. For me, it was my AP Government class. I was super interested in studying Supreme Court cases, and this helped me declare my major in Political Science. If there was a class in high school that you absolutely LOVED, that might help you decide what you would like to study in college.
3. Attend Events for Undeclared Students
Your school likely recognizes how confusing it can be to be an undeclared student, and it probably offers resources to help you pick a major. At the University of Utah, the Major Exploration Program hosts events for students still trying to decide on a major. These events usually feature a group of majors (I went to an event for those interested in geography and anthropology at the beginning of my freshman year). At the event, you can usually ask faculty and staff questions about specific majors.
4. …Such as Your School’s Major Fair
Your school might also host a major fair where representatives from each major are available to answer questions. I also attended this event as a freshman, and got a lot of great information on the programs I was interested in, such as required classes, math requirements, whether or not you could double major in specific programs…I highly recommend going to this event at your school if you’re undeclared! (Utah students can read more information about our major expo here).
5. Talk To An Academic Advisor
One thing I wish I did when I was deciding on my major was schedule more appointments with academic advisors. Every program at your university has an academic advisor, and chances are you can easily find time during your first semester of college to meet with them and ask them specific questions about their program. You can probably connect with many of these advisors at your school’s major fair, but you can also find their information on that particular major’s webpage (Utah students can click here to set up an appointment with an academic advisor from any major).
6. Ask Other Students About Their Majors
Common Fact: People love to talk about themselves. Another Common Fact: Students sometimes give better advice than advisors twenty years your senior. So next time you run into your neighbor who’s studying Sociology, why don’t you ask her about what drew her to the program? You might get to know your dormmates better, and you might just come one step closer to declaring your major.
And there you have it…six tips for going into college as an undeclared major! Hopefully this next semester is one of discovery for you…and hopefully it leads you closer to picking a major that you love.