For Freshmen: 5 Tips For Choosing The Right Major For You

By Alexandra Brown on September 18, 2014

Arriving to college after going through four years of taking classes that are oftentimes completely uninteresting is definitely refreshing.

Sitting through classes that you’re forced to take and aren’t really engaged in doesn’t always elicit satisfactory grades, and can get pretty frustrating toward the end.

However, now you’ve finally entered the world of higher education where everything is up to you! This academic change is extremely invigorating, but it can also cause a person, who isn’t quite sure of their path, a lot of stress. That’s why this list of tips to freshmen will prove quite helpful.

http://www.quickmeme.com

1. Don’t panic about uncertainty.

A lot of incoming freshmen, which included myself, don’t know exactly what they want to do with their lives, which is perfectly okay! You’re 18. You aren’t (or shouldn’t be) expected to know everything right away, like what you want your major to be, what you want your potential career to be, or who you will end up with.

Don’t spend time panicking about declaring a major; it is a waste of time. Everything will eventually work itself out if you keep an open mind, and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. So don’t stress.

2. Take a little bit of everything.

If you really have no particular path in mind when it comes to your major, take classes in all different areas. This way, you’ll experience classes in every subject matter, you can rule out what you don’t like, and hopefully then discover something you’re truly interested in.

Maybe first semester you can take introductory courses in anthropology, political science, economics and astronomy to get a feel for different academic areas including math, science and history. If you do have some idea about which direction you’re leaning toward, take what you think you’ll be interested in, but still make room for additional exploration.

3. Rule out what you don’t want.

It’s oftentimes easier to decide what you don’t necessarily like about something under any given circumstance, than what you do like. This comes in handy when deciding on a major as well.

With tip number two, after having taken classes in various subject matters, chances are you’re able to decide what you liked and want to take more of, but more specifically, what you didn’t like, and what you’ll stay away from.

You can even rule out what types of classes you don’t want to take before registering for first semester’s classes, if you have an idea. Narrowing down what your interests are not is a painless and efficient way of getting one step closer to having an idea about what your interests are, and then eventually what your major should be.

4. Tap into what you’ve always had an interest in.

Even though you may think and have convinced yourself that you have no idea what you want to do, make a conscious effort to remember your previous academic history. Which subjects did you enjoy most in middle school?

Another question you can ask yourself, although it may not determine what should necessarily be your area of focus, is which skills came most easily to you. Was writing something that naturally flowed out of you when completing assignments? Did you also enjoy it? Was math constantly unchallenging to you because it came so easily?

You can also think about high school. Was there a particular class that motivated you to do well, and made you excited to come to school? Pondering these details of your past can be surprisingly helpful if you’re stuck on choosing a major that fits you.

5. Don’t choose a major because someone told you to.

The worst reason you can possibly use in selecting a major for yourself is because someone, such as an older sibling, or parent, pushed you into a certain field of study. College is your time. You are discovering new things about yourself, academically, socially and maybe even spiritually.

You want whatever it is that you end up majoring in to be 100 percent you, and something you’re interested in and that you want to excel in. If someone else has chosen this for you, it’s likely that your motivation to do well will decrease because the “chosen” area of study isn’t something you care about, but is rather something you were told to care about. Don’t make this mistake.

http://www.onlinecollegesguide.com/choosing-a-major/

If you’re a current freshman, or even a senior in high school, and are unsure about the direction of your studies, don’t stress out about it.

Yes, it can be overwhelming on a brand new college campus, especially if you attend (or will attend) a big school, but if you make an effort to incorporate these five tips into your choice of major, you won’t be disappointed!

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