hi friends! welcome once again,
here, I’ll share a few perspectives and even tips for going into your freshman year of university and thinking about majors, something that I think is important to reiterate is the fact that education is a privilege and that it can be perceived as normalization.
exploring & choosing a major is a focal point of a university/college experience. some folks go in knowing exactly what they want, some folks go in not necessarily sure but have some interests, others start the journey not knowing what they’re interested in or where to start. I think the unknown can be pretty powerful in this situation especially, because I believe college presents the space for you to explore in all generality.
Tip #1: no expectations
I am an absolute believer in having no expectations in certain situations and/or stages of life. when you don’t have expectations it’s easier not to be let down, or allow someone or something else to let you down.
At LC there is a career center and a college advisor center (CAS) - USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! This is a great opportunity to talk to faculty and college advisors who have training, experience and knowledge that are FREE and available as soon as you make that first point of contact. Another amazing thing about contacting faculty and advisors is the chance to network, if you don’t know how - there are people to guide you and give you a sense of direction for a starting point.
Tip #2 : go with the flow & take courses outside your comfort zone
Going with the flow is a fantastic idea, but can be easier said than done, and can take time to put into practice. Once again, I love practicing the act of going with the flow and not being over controlling with situations in my life because I can get overwhelmed and in a not so positive way.
Debatable Tip #3: follow your dreams, interests, and passions
Some may advise you to follow your dreams instead of choosing a pre-made track.
But at the end of the day it’ll be your decision, because I hope you live your life for you.
Tip #4: don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and wanna do it all, when in reality we are humans who have breaking points. And in college many people reach those breaking points (including myself), so please be kind to yourself. Workload will always be there so I would recommend taking courses you’re interested in that you simultaneously handle and manage.
*these tips are subjective and my altered opinion
Here are some motivational short samples of current first year students and their experience in choosing their majors:
DANIEL: chose international affairs
Because “... after reading Ronan Farrow’s book ‘War on Peace’, about his time in the state department and diplomacy in general [I] was super interested in it and it inspired me to get more into international affairs and work towards getting into and working in the state department”.
AZUCENA: expected double major in SOAN (sociology & anthropology) and Hispanic Studies.
“I declared undecided prior to my arrival at LC because I was unsure of what I wanted to major in, and I still am. However, right now I have a plan to double major in SOAN and Hispanic Studies. I am choosing these two majors because they are the ones I am currently connecting with the most. My intro to cultural anthropology class really set me up with what anthropology is and anthropologists do. I think it’s fascinating and especially utilizing the ethnographic method! As for Hispanic Studies, I want to reconnect with my culture and learn much more about Latin America! My first semester I took a Latin American course with a focus on colonialism and I learned so much! Regardless of the heavy workload, I always enjoyed that class”.
GILLIAN: english major & 3-3 law program
Originally a political science major, she realized that there may not be much for her to do if she chose not to attend law school. In the beginning, she did have an interest in the law program but some things weren’t aligning until the end of freshman year. So Gill is meant to be a declared english major strengthening the skills she has and applying them towards law school. LC’s offer with the 3-3 law program enables students to essentially save time and money.
ROCIO: intended double major: international affairs (IA) & SOAN
Also came in with one intended major- IA, but after taking intro to cultural anthropology and intro to IA, she gained interest and saw how both topics can complement one another. As she continues to explore her interest, she see’s IA as a topic of broad teachings and understanding of people and politics whereas SOAN dives deep into listening and learning about people.