Time for a Change by Victoria Sebastian | illustration by Sara Calhoun | design by Lily Garnaat
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s a high school senior, for as long as you can remember, your classes were clearly laid out for you. But all of a sudden, you have less than a year to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. You have pressures to decide your future quickly and correctly. The problem is, what is the correct decision? Some poeple decide to take gap years to figure things out. Others will enter college undecided. The remaining enter with a declared major, but may decide they aren’t quite content with their choice. Luckily, declaring a major is not a life sentence. If you feel like you’re in the wrong place, it’s always possible to look around at other options. Barry Strauber, a visiting lecturer in the School of Communication, explained it best. “College should be about exploration and discovery,” he said.
Reading the Signs
Questioning your career path is a common occurrence. Nearly 30 percent of students will change their major within their first three years of college, according to the National 20 Features
Center for Education Statistics. So, what are some signs that indicate this path may also be for you? One of the most common factors of concern is a lack of interest in your major. As Strauber summarized, “You need to be passionate about something ... when you’re passionate about something you’re doing, like a job, you just naturally work really hard at it.” Sometimes, the lack of interest stems from parental pressures to be in a major of their choosing. Other times, your major may not fit your personality. It may also occur by mistake, expecting one thing from your major but getting another. Fifth year Finance major Renee AnnanHutton had experiences with many of these factors when she decided a change was right for her. “I started out in Computer Engineering. A lot of that came from preconceived conceptions on what I thought it would be and also just a lot of influence from my parents,” Annan-Hutton explained. No matter the reason, having a lack of interest in what you’re learning can cause
hindrances, such as a lack of attention and participation in classes. This can then go on to affect your grades, with academic struggles being another common factor. “You want to be challenged by your coursework, but you don’t want it to be impossible,” Career Counselor Janine Rowe explained. Getting one bad grade on a test doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. But, if you notice yourself constantly struggling, it may be time to look at other options. For Annan-Hutton, she knew something was wrong when she started comparing her troubles with those of her classmates. “It was the feeling that I was struggling, and I seemed to be struggling more than anyone else,” she stated. This can become particularly concerning when the classes you are struggling with are a core part of your major. Annan-Hutton explained, “Engineering is so physics-based, that if I can’t get through this rudimentary physics, there’s no possible way I can thrive in it.”
