It’s OK to not have a major right away
Starting in my sophomore year of high school, my family and friends began pressuring me about what I wanted to study in college.
I had a wide range of interests and I was completely clueless. The pressure freaked me out, and I avoided thinking about college completely.
The summer before my senior year, I considered photography, pharmacy, event planning, pediatrics and so many other things.
None of those ideas really stood out to me as what I would want to do for the rest of my life.
One day, while volunteering in my church nursery, someone told me I would be a great teacher. I thought about that for a moment and realized teaching is something I never considered.
Teaching runs in my family. My grandmother was a substitute teacher, my aunt is currently teaching, my cousin is studying special education and my mother works at a daycare.
I started working at my church nursery at around 12 years old, worked at a daycare for two summers and always helped with our Summer Youth Program.
I wondered why I didn’t think of teaching in the first place! I love working with children and helping them learn. Early Childhood Education sounded like the perfect major for me.
I felt such relief having a solid answer when everyone asked me what I would be studying. However, I got nervous when people started saying how often college students change majors.
I am not someone who likes uncertainty and hearing that made me start to doubt.
However, when I got to BGSU, I fell in love with everything about the education program.
My freshman year was focused on getting me into the classroom to make sure this was what I wanted to do, and taking BG perspective courses to expose me to other options.
I really enjoyed my marine biology class, as well as sociology, but nothing compared to my education classes.
BG does such a great job of giving students exposure to a variety of fields, to help them make the best decision in choosing a major.
Coming to college undecided is completely understandable. It’s a big decision to make, and it is OK not to know when you arrive freshman year.
College is a time to discover yourself, explore and try new things. Taking a variety of classes and getting involved on campus is a fantastic way to find your passion and decide what you want your major to be.