A change of heart and mind

The semester is coming to a close and finals are coming up fast. For most of us, there is that one class that just makes us question everything. Something about it is able to control all of your thoughts. Maybe it’s chemistry and you have a 67 in the class and need a 86 on the final just to pass (honestly though, RIP), but as a biomed major it is so important you do well in this class. Or maybe it’s business calculus and it’s the only thing keeping you from making the dean’s list and if the semester was just a little bit longer you could pull your grade up. How poorly this class seems to be going for you makes you question if you should just give up because, maybe, this isn’t the field you should actually be in. Maybe this class is telling you to try something new.

Making the choice to change your major is a big one- actually, more of a monumental one. The next four years of your life are based on this, no pressure though. Some people quickly find out that their major just isn’t for them, while others try to power through for as long as they can until they finally decide to call it quits. And of course there are some lucky students who never change their major and have felt good about their decision since the beginning.

For me, I knew I had to change my major the second semester of freshman year. I was a double major in food science and nutrition. Going into college I thought this was perfect for me. I had been warned about how hard science in college was going to be, but I ignored it because my high school classes were easy. In hindsight, I should have known they weren’t even going to be comparable.

I struggled through chem 1, doing just well enough to pass. Going into chem 2 I told myself I would dedicate all I had to that class. I wanted to be a food scientist (whatever that means) and a stupid intro to chemistry class wasn’t going to tear me away.

Boy was I wrong. That class did take everything I had- going to office hours, study partners, staying up through all hours of the night trying to figure out my homework- and it still just wasn’t clicking with me. I finally came to terms that food science and nutrition were just interests of mine, and not something I wanted to have a career in for the rest of my life. I took the midterm in my chem 2 class, turned it in, walked out of the class straight to the career center to drop the class and find my new college path, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

If you’re battling with the idea of switching majors, take some time to just self reflect. Think about what your strengths and weaknesses are and what you’re interested in. If you aren’t sure, go to the career center. I will say it is very important to do your research on what it means to be in that major and what it could mean for you in the long run.

Many freshmen go into college thinking they know exactly what they want to do and will stick to it until they graduate. Chances are that just isn’t realistic, and that’s okay.