A few of my friends have recently decided to change their major or minor, or add a major or minor, a process college students are no strangers to.
Actually, I don’t think you are truly a college student until you change your mind at least once.
I, like many other students, began my college years as what college advising departments have deemed an “undeclared” or “undecided” major.
For my first college advising meeting, which took place at the end of my first semester as a first-year, I was given an academic advisor that was designated for “undecided” students.
After discussing the next steps in coursework and completing my general education classes, she began asking me about majors I was interested in.
I had been considering a major in Communications, but I was nowhere near a decision.
I expressed my interest to my advisor to which she replied with something along the lines of “well, you don’t want me to be your advisor this time next year” implying that I better decide on a major within the next semester. From that point on, I would get a little twinge of anxiety any time someone would ask me what my major was and I was forced to reply “undeclared.”
Suddenly the label of “undeclared” transformed from meaning I was uncertain of my path and my major to having no path and no direction entirely and being likely to spend the next ten years in school as a result.
This slight panic lead me right into the records and advising office declaring communication as my major within the next few weeks.
Fortunately, I am still satisfied with the major I declared that day and I continue to become more sure of my decision as time goes on.
Sometime after that I had a realization. I recall the college selection process. At these weekend visits for prospective students, colleges usually divide the students up in order to attend meetings with the department of their desired major.
During this process I was put into several lectures for “undecided” students. Most were the same, telling you that they would find a place for you at that school. However, one of these lectures stood out to me.
I remember sitting in the large lecture with my dad. The speaker from the advising department began addressing the audience with this statement: “The only difference between you [undecided students] and all of the other students is that you know that you don’t know what you want to do.”
As I continue on my college journey, I find this statement to be more and more truthful. I am positive that, at the very least, we all start out not knowing what we want to do.
After all, how could you know? I firmly believe that the old saying “you never know until you try” holds true here.
You may have a hunch that you will enjoy nursing and be good at it. You may like helping people and the sight of blood doesn’t make you cringe.
But until you find yourself learning about the profession and even more importantly, learning and practicing the skills necessary to become a nurse you will never be quite sure if that career is the one for you.
And this is precisely the journey that every college student embarks on.
You may find your hunch to be correct and, like many students, you might be a little off….or dead wrong.
It has become clear to me that college is all about being undecided in every way.
And everyone is undecided at some point, even the people who have been saying they want to be doctor since they were old enough to talk.
You may be undecided for a semester or four years. My advice? It’s your life, take all of the time you need and don’t be afraid to change your mind…and change it again.
Bridget Goedke
Viewpoints Editor