No Major? Don't Fret, You're not alone. by Brittany Waugh

                                                                                                   

                            The theory of having to know your major by your freshman year of college has been something stressed to all of us throughout high school. “Figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life now”, but how is this even possible for an individual that has no idea where they see themselves being in 20 years while they are a senior in high school stressing over standardized test, work, grades, and college applications. Some people already have known what their career goals were since elementary school, while the other half of the population is still trying to figure out life itself. Well, do not fret because it’s not a big deal to not have a major coming in to college. In fact, according to some statistics provided by Liz Freedman, Butler University “An estimated 20 to 50 percent of students enter college as “undecided” (Gordon, 1995) and an estimated 75 percent of students change their major at least once before graduation (Gordon, 1995)”        (https://dus.psu.edu/mentor/2013/06/disconnect-choosing-major/, 2013). So it’s safe to say that its statistically proven that knowing what direction you want to take in your life immediately after college is okay.

            Coming into college undecided, in my opinion, gives you space to explore. You can explore what you like and what career fields suit you the best. Even if you don’t have a major, you most likely have an activity or hobby you like to do the most. Researching different degrees that would suit your potential career could help you on your journey of picking a satisfactory major. Some people may decide that a trade is the better route for them because they have always loved doing makeup or maybe they dreamed of being a barber since they were younger. Some may have a strong passion for protecting others and have a devotion to America and hope to be in the armed/unarmed services. All these choices are fine, just make sure the choices are yours! Do not allow people to pressure you into making decisions about your life because at the end of the day, whatever the outcome is you have to deal with it. Most of the time going into college with an undeclared major can help you even if you already know what you would like to do “If you have a competitive concentration in mind, but would like to use the first year of college to build a strong GPA, it likely makes sense to apply as an undeclared major. This is a particularly good idea if your high school GPA is not strong in the major's related fields.”   (http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/articles/2016-03-07/pros-cons-of-applying-to-college-as-an-undecided-major, 2016).

            In summary, do what you want with your life. Do not let anyone make you feel bad or insecure about the decisions that you make. Live life in your own terms, because at the end of the day, you’ll be happy that you made your own decision!