How to Avoid “Major” Indecision

We all know at least a few people that are entering their junior year of college for the third time, still trying to find the right major. It has always amazed me how much pressure college students are under to decide on an area of focus that will likely determine most of what they do for the rest of their life. While some students emerge from the womb knowing their life’s calling, there are many others who just can’t seem to decide on a major. This turns into semester after semester of wasted tuition as the student struggles to make up his or her mind. There are a few simple things you can do to speed up the process of picking your major.

Treat College Like a Sampler Platter

The worst way to pick a major is to take a semester filled with the same subjects of classes, then switch to another subject the next semester, and so on. This is a great way to blow a lot of tuition money. Treat your course load like the sampler platter at a restaurant: take many different types of classes at the same time. While you probably won’t like every class you take, that’s not the goal anyway. Hopefully you will be able to find a class that peaks your interest, then explore that major a bit more.

Ask the Experts

Virtually every college campus has a career counseling center for the troubled college student. They are the pros when it comes to helping students explore careers. You can take a number of tests that can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and suggest potential careers you might excel in. Don’t hesitate to seek help from these professionals. They get paid to help people like you.

Get Involved in New Activities

A great way to learn about new careers is to get a taste of each career field as much as you can. There are hundreds of clubs on campus that you can visit to test the waters of a new topic. You will likely encounter people who are passionate about their major, and hopefully this will rub off on you and help you decide on an area of study. Also be sure to ask your friends. They know you and can give you valuable advice from their school experience about what might be a good fit for you.

Don’t be one of the many who get caught in the spin cycle of college indecision. As someone who spent two years taking classes that ended up being completely irrelevant for my major, I know the feeling of frustration and wasted time. The key to finding the major that’s right for you is this: if you don’t truly enjoy the classes you’re taking, you will end up hating your career even more. When you find yourself looking forward to class or being anxious to do your homework, you will know that you have found a subject that might be a great career for you.