Have you ever heard the saying, fake it till you make it? Sure, sure you have. I say it all the time. I personally, taught college (freshman English to be exact) for three years and I remember time and time again hashing it out with a student who was losing their mind over changing their major. And ultimately, the conversation would circle back to a truth that they don’t usually tell you in college. Most of us “adults” still don’t know what we are doing, and what you want will change so many times in your life, that if you were forced to declare a new major every time then you’d be in college for forever.
This is because we humans are lovely and complicated and hard to please. college of all times might be one of the most confusing because they give you boxes to check and classes to complete in order to get your new hat of profession. That doesn’t happen later in life. So, what I want to tell you not is that college doesn’t matter (I am a massive advocate for eduction for not only your career but personal development.) But, what I am saying is that your major doesn’t really matter.
Yes, your major can help if you’ve spent three years thinking and working in a certain wheelhouse. Yes, your major can help especially if you’re getting work experience through an internship. But, ultimately what matters the most in those years is the attitude you develop about being able to handle whatever kind of shit storm comes your way. And time management, that’s crucial too. It really is though the attitude and fearless kind of navigation to figure things out that you will carry with you, built into the new person you are becoming.
On another note, experience is what you will end up calling on and counting on more than your degree or your GPA. Yes you need the degree, because for some careers, it serves as this little green light through gates of your life. experience though, will be what people talk about, ask about, and want to see when they are working with you. After you finish college, your calling card becomes the last thing you worked on, your last great project, the most recent success you’ve acquired. Everything before that is just sort of background noise to them. The only time I’ve used my actual college records was applying to grad school.
So, let’s review here students…
College, super important. It has a way of shaking a lot of the child in you, and albeit sometimes through error. It’s in that phase we learn how to handle ourselves in the “real world.” It also instills a secret whisper that says, you can you can you can. And it teaches you how to handle your time.
Less important is your major. This is because you can toil over a certain degree and then change your mind the minute you graduate, and no one will stop you. Spoiler alert, you’ll probably change it five more times throughout your twenties. What does matter is the attitude and experience you collect. So, put yourself out there, try something new, write a story, study biology, make out with someone you like. College is for experimenting.
My point is, there is nothing wrong with changing your mind. Your major is not a life sentence to be a kind of person you no longer feel like being. If you feel torn, talk to your counselor or a teacher you trust. They should be able to pint you in the right direction. You are collecting so much right now, just keep on going. The person you will be will thank you for it.
VINAZINE 